Santa Barbara County goes for the ‘Yellow Tier’ prior to statewide reopening
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif.-For the past year counties have been working to get through the purple, red, and orange tiers.
Ventura County will make it into the coveted yellow tier tomorrow. Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are close behind.
Santa Barbara County public health leaders say the county is working to meet the less restrictive yellow tier requirements despite the statewide plan to reopen on June 15.
A graphic of California's COVID19 tiers show the risk levels. Purple means COVID19 is widespread, while red means the case count is substantial. The current orange or moderate tier allows schools to reopen.
Yellow is the minimal tier and means there are less than 2 news cases daily per 100,000 people.
Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said, "Our daily COVID case rates have now averaged 1.3 over 100,000 residents over the past week. "
For businesses every day in the yellow tier counts because is means more customers indoors.
Going for the yellow depends on community members doing their part by getting vaccinated and distancing and wearing masks in crowded areas.
Dr. Ansorg believes that will happen by June 8.
"We are seeing now only minimal COVID transmission in our area. This wonderful development was made possible by the majority of our population choosing to get vaccinated as soon as possible."
Dr. Ansorg said the tier system will have served it purpose.
"If you are still on the fence on whether or not to get vaccinated, this is the time to make the choice, get the shot because it will prevent potentially severe disease. COVID is a preventable disease."