Press release from the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:

Humboldt County has moved into the “Orange” or Moderate tier under the state’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy,” meaning many local business sectors can further expand capacity with COVID-19 prevention measures in place. These changes take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, April 7.  

The California Department of Public Health announced today that Humboldt County’s adjusted case rate and positivity rate are 3.5 and 2% respectively. This puts the county firmly in the Orange tier due to a change in the blueprint metrics triggered by the state meeting its vaccination equity goal of 4 million doses administered in targeted communities.  

Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Director Michele Stephens said, “This is another step out of the pandemic and toward recovery, and we at Public Health are so grateful to everyone in our community for their commitment to each other’s health and safety.”  

But, Stephens added, now is not the time to get complacent. “Variants of concern are popping up all over the state and country as more people are traveling. We’re in a race to get as many people vaccinated as possible to protect those who are not yet vaccinated and prevent another surge in cases caused by a vaccine-resistant variant.”  

Stephens said county residents can contribute to that effort by continuing to wear masks, maintain distance and wash hands, including those who are fully vaccinated. 

Some of the changes under the Orange tier include:  

• Restaurants — Open indoors at 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer. 
• Gyms and Fitness Centers — Open indoors at 25% capacity, indoor pools open; saunas and steam rooms remain closed. 
• Retail — Open indoors without capacity limits. 
• Shopping Centers, Malls, Swap Meets — Open indoors without capacity limits; closed common areas; reduced food court capacity at 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer.
• Museums, Zoos and Aquariums — Open indoors at 50% capacity.
• Places of Worship — Open indoors at 50% capacity. 
• Movie Theatres — Open indoors at 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer. 
• Hotels and Lodging — Fitness centers open at 25%; indoor pools open. 
• Family Entertainment Centers — Open indoors at 25% maximum capacity or 50% if all guests are tested or show proof of fully vaccination. Food/beverage consumption must be restricted to designated areas separated from activity area and service of alcohol without meals must follow bar guidance (outdoor only). 
• Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries — Open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 
• Bars — Open outdoors.
• Office Work — Open indoors while encouraging telework. 

Read a full list of requirements under the Orange tier at covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/. 

One New Case Reported Today 

One new case of COVID-19 was reported in Humboldt County today. Two previously reported cases were determined to be out of jurisdiction, bringing the total number of county residents who have tested positive for the virus to 3,500.  

Testing rates have fallen recently, with 66 tests processed from Public Health and commercial labs for today’s metrics. Public Health officials say more robust testing is needed to get a more accurate reflection of the presence of the virus in the county and identify people who could be positive and expose others.  

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling 707-441-5000.  

Some Safeway, CVS Pharmacy, Rite Aid and Walgreen’s locations are offering COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Learn who is eligible for vaccination and see if there are appointments available for your age group or sector at one of these locations by clicking on the links below. 

Safeway: https://www.mhealthappointments.com/covidappt 

CVS Pharmacy: https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link2-coronavirus-vaccine 

Rite Aid: https://www.riteaid.com/covid-19 

Walgreen’s: https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19
 

Local COVID-19 vaccine information: humboldtgov.org/VaccineInfo
Humboldt County COVID-19 Data Dashboard: humboldtgov.org/Dashboard
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Twitter: @HumCoCOVID19
Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert  

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