Gov. Newsom Applies Emergency Brakes on State’s Blueprint for Reopening a Safer Economy

On November 16, 2020, Gov. Newsom announced that as COVID-19 cases increase across the state, his administration and state public health officials have made the following changes to the Blueprint for Reopening a Safer Economy, effective immediately until further notice:

• The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) may modify the tier assignments any day of the week and make changes more than once a week based on recent, reliable data that requires action to address COVID-19 transmission in a county.
• Counties may move between tiers based on one week’s worth of data instead of two weeks and may move more than one tier at a time if CDPH determines that the data supports intensive intervention.
• Counties will be required to implement any sector changes the day following the tier announcement, instead of three days.
• CDPH will be determining actions based on the rate of increase in new cases and/or test positivity, more recent data as noted below, public health capacity, and other epidemiological factors.
• The state is requiring individuals to wear face coverings whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions, such as driving alone or with household members, working in an office/room alone, and eating/drinking while maintaining at least six feet of distance from others.

Yesterday, the California Blueprint Data Chart (Excel) was updated to show county tier status, date of tier assignment and case rate, and testing positivity. The California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced the following counties have been reassigned tiers, which will remain in effect until his agency determines it’s appropriate to make modifications based on public health conditions and data.

The public health changes to the state’s Blueprint do not modify schools reopening framework or guidance.

Tier 1 (Purple/Widespread) – 28 Counties

Tier 2 (Red/Substantial) – 9 Counties

Tier 3 (Orange/Moderate) – 2 Counties