From the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced that local COVID-19 data places Humboldt County in the “Red” or Substantial tier under the state’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”
The adjusted case rate of 12.1 and positivity rate of 4.0% do not meet the threshold for tier reassignment. However, the county met the state’s Health Equity Metric, which aims to reduce disparities by ensuring that no group within a county is disproportionally impacted by COVID-19.
Under the Red tier, Humboldt will be the only county in the state allowed to have indoor gatherings, movie theaters, fitness centers, places of worship and dining. Local businesses, particularly restaurants and cafes, are urged to move forward cautiously. If virus data worsens or intensive care unit capacity for the Northern California Region dips below 15%, the state would require some sectors to move outdoors or cease operating altogether.
California moved Humboldt to a less restrictive tier, alarming local officials
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Humboldt County health officials are concerned the state moved them to the red tier.CampPhoto/Getty Images
What some welcomed as good news is not being received as such by Humboldt County health officers.
On Tuesday, California announced the county is being moved to the red tier, one step down from the purple tier that indicates the worst spread of COVID-19. The move makes the county one of the only places in the state now able to reopen some indoor businesses like dining, movie theaters, fitness center and places of worship. The news was so alarming to Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman that he issued an official statement decrying the move.