Orange County is currently ranked in the most restrictive tier of the California Department of Public Health’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy Tier system. In the past few weeks Orange County had been assigned a less restrictive Red-tier, however, due to a surge in coronavirus cases throughout California, the county has moved back into the purple-tier.

Orange County is currently reported as having 10.8 New COVID-19 cases per 100k with a 4.6% positivity rate. To move back into Red, Orange County must be reported at between 4.0-7.0 daily new cases per 100k, with a positivity rate between 5.0-8.0% positive tests.

The blueprint for a safer economy outlines the risk level tier-system based on test positivity and adjusted case rate. The four tiers are as follows: Purple, which stands for Widespread and is the most restrictive tier, stating that many non-essential indoor business operations are closed. Next down is Red at Substantial with some non-essential indoor business operations closed, followed by Orange at Moderate with some indoor business operations open with modifications and the lowest being Yellow at Minimal with most indoor business operations open with modifications.

To be considered Widespread, a county must be experiencing more than 7.0 daily new cases per 100k on a 7-day average, and/or a positivity rate of more than 8.0% of all COVID-19 cases on a 7-day average. If a County’s case rate and positivity rate fall into different tiers, the county remains in the stricter one.

Tier assignments may occur any day of the week and may occur more than once a week. Counties will be required to implement any sector changes the day following the tier announcement.

In order to help Orange County reach a lower-tier CDHP recommends that everyone wear a mask in public, wash your hands regularly, keep at least six feet of physical distance when in public and limit mixing with people you don’t live with.