With positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations decreasing, Orange County has met requirements to move into the state’s “Red Tier.” Under the less restrictive Red Tier, gyms, movie theaters and churches may resume indoor activities with limited capacity.

In an Instagram post Tuesday, September 8, the city of Irvine shared more details about the county’s latest move into the state’s Red Tier, which categorizes the county’s COVID-19 risk as “Substantial” – down from “Widespread.”

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Thanks to everyone's efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Orange County has moved from the Purple Tier to the less restrictive 🔺 Red Tier 🔺 on the State's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, allowing more businesses to open with modifications! The change means coronavirus risk level is considered “substantial” rather than “widespread,” and the following sectors can expand their operations beginning today. 🛍️ All Retail: Open indoors with modifications – maximum 50% capacity 🏬 Shopping Centers: Open indoors with modifications, maximum 50% capacity; closed common areas and reduced capacity food courts (see restaurants) 💅 💆‍♀️ Personal Care Services: Open indoors with modifications 🖼️ 🦍 🐠 Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums: Open indoors with modifications – indoor activities at maximum 25% capacity 🛐 Places of Worship: Open indoors with modifications – maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer 🎥 🍿 Movie theaters: Open indoors with modifications – maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer 🏨 Hotels and Lodging: Open with modifications – +Fitness centers (+10%) 🏋️ Gyms and Fitness Centers: Open indoors with modifications – maximum 10% capacity 🥗 🍽️ 🍝 Restaurants: Open indoors with modifications – maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer 🏫 Schools can reopen on September 22. For more information and industry guidance, visit covid19.ca.gov. Please continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, and follow health guidelines so we can continue to reduce COVID-19 transmission and allow for more to open up within our community.

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“Thanks to everyone’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Orange County has moved from the Purple Tier to the less restrictive 🔺 Red Tier 🔺 on the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, allowing more businesses to open with modifications!

The change means coronavirus risk level is considered “substantial” rather than “widespread,” and the following sectors can expand their operations beginning today.”

In this tier, Orange County may reopen all indoor operations at all retail locations at 50 percent capacity. Additionally, gyms and fitness centers may operate at a maximum of 10 percent capacity. Movie theaters may operate at a maximum of 25 percent capacity.

Schools will be allowed to resume in-person education on September 22. Irvine Unified School District opted to allow families to make a decision on attending school in-person, with several models of education presented by the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education.

On Monday, Sept. 7, Orange County reported 113 new COVID-19 cases, with zero reported deaths. The county currently has a testing positivity rate of 5 percent.

In order to move between the state’s new tiers for COVID-19 monitoring, counties are required to stay in each tier for at least three weeks. Counties are assessed each Tuesday.

As long as Orange County maintains a positivity rate between 5 – 8 percent, with less than 7 daily new cases per-100 residents, the county could move beyond the Red Tier by the end of September.

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