If California is still using its level-based blueprint to lift coronavirus restrictions, San Diego County and the other 16 counties will now be at the most restrictive purple level.

On June 15th, California lifted most of the restrictions and cancelled its color-coded hierarchical system, a safer economic blueprint, which was first launched in August 2020 after a surge in cases during the summer.

If the blueprint for reopening remains in effect, most of the state’s population will now still face many closures and restrictions, including no indoor dining. This is due to the recent increase in cases-mainly people who have not been vaccinated.

When the 7-day average daily COVID-19 case rate reached 7 per 100,000 people, the state’s color-coding grading system initially classified counties as purple. Later, in March 2021, when the vaccine became available, the rules were revised to classify counties with a 7-day average daily case rate of 10 cases per 100,000 people as purple. (The positive rate of cases and the equitable distribution of vaccines also play a role in the ranking.)

Currently, the 7-day rolling average of many counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento, has exceeded 10 per 100,000 cases, as originally reported San Jose Mercury News.

According to the state Department of Public Health, the virus spreads at an average rate of 6.3 cases per 100,000 people per day in unvaccinated people for 7 days, but it spreads at a rate of 1.1 cases per 100,000 people in vaccinated people. . These figures by county are not available.

As of the county’s latest report released on July 14, San Diego County (the state’s population is second only to Los Angeles County) has a positive rate of 3.9%. The county’s next report on local epidemic data is expected to be released on Wednesday.

In Los Angeles County, officials reported that the positive rate has increased by more than 10 times since all departments were allowed to fully reopen on June 15.

Increasing number of cases is alarming Leading county public health officials last week The reinstatement of masks requires residents to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.

“We all forgot about the grading system because we wanted to do it,” Dr. John Swartzberg, emeritus clinical professor of infectious diseases and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeley, told Mercury News. “Compared with a month ago, our situation is not very good.”

San Diego County officials No authorization to restore the mask Although other places have changed.

“San Diego County reminds the public that it will continue to follow the California Department of Health’s guidance on wearing masks,” the county said in two tweets last week, “and urges unvaccinated people to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. Began to spread.”