Orange County’s expected move into the Red Tier of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy will happen sooner than expected, according to Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan.

“I just heard that we will move to the Red Tier tomorrow [Saturday, March 13], which makes it in effect on Sunday. More details on what this means for various businesses will be posted soon,” Khan wrote in a text with Irvine Weekly on Friday, March 12.

Once in the Red Tier, it would officially take effect on Sunday, March 14.

Khan added that new information came from a call with the Governor’s Regional Director, and depending on vaccine distribution, the state could push Orange County into the Red Tier as soon as Saturday, March 13.

“New information from the state was shared that if we reach the administration of 2 million vaccinations to the low HPI quartile, it will trigger a change in the tier system. O.C. could move to the Red Tier as early as tomorrow. Once we’re in the Red Tier, if we remain there for 3 weeks, we can move to the Orange Tier,” Khan wrote to Irvine Weekly.

Khan shared the optimistic news after her call with the Governor’s Regional Director in a Facebook post on Friday, March 12.

“Great news, just got off the phone with the Governor’s Regional Director, Orange County will operate in the Red Tier, effective this Sunday,” Khan wrote in the Facebook post.

Earlier this week, Orange County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau said Orange County had recorded one-week of Red Tier metrics, and was poised to reach the Red Tier by Wednesday, March 17.

In the Red Tier, restaurants could return to indoor dining and movie theaters can return to service, both at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. In addition, gyms can return to indoor operations at 10% capacity.

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