Seven more counties move from purple to red tier in state’s monitoring system

California’s Secretary of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that seven more counties have moved from purple to red in the state’s four-tiered, color coded tracking system: Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara and Yolo. Schools can reopen for in-person instruction in these counties if they remain in the red tier for 14 consecutive days.

This brings the number of counties that are still in the purple tier — where Covid-19 transmission is widespread — to 18. They encompass 434 districts and 621 charter schools that serve 2.7 million students, not including private schools. Schools in this tier cannot open for in-person instruction unless they obtain elementary school waivers for children in grades K-6 or follow strict guidance for small groups.

Three counties moved from red to orange, meaning Covid-19 transmission is considered moderate: Amador, Calaveras and San Francisco. Schools in these counties were already allowed to reopen for in-person instruction, but they must ensure that Covid-19 testing and contact tracing is adequate, Ghaly said.

In response to a question about why guidance is stricter for playgrounds than for youth sports, Ghaly said playgrounds in many counties are still closed because they invite mixing of people from different households or neighborhoods, which increases the risk of Covid-19 transmission. He said youth sports usually involve the same group of students mixing together in what is called a “cohort,” which is less risky. However, he said he is not aware of any instances of Covid-19 transmissions that have been traced to playgrounds.

More information about state guidance is at covid19.ca.gov.