Red Tier Return Relies On Coronavirus Testing: RivCo Officials

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The number of coronavirus hospitalizations in Riverside County dropped and no new deaths connected to the virus were reported Friday, while the overall case count increased by 371.

The total number of COVID-19 infections recorded since the public health documentation period began in early March is 65,757, compared to 65,386 on Thursday, according to the Riverside University Health System. The number of verified patient recoveries is 58,852.

The agency said the number of COVID-positive hospitalizations totals 161, compared to 176 a day ago. The number includes 39 intensive care unit patients — two less than Thursday.

Officials said the number of deaths tied to COVID-19 remains 1,279.

The California Department of Public Health on Tuesday reclassified the county in the "purple tier," the most restrictive under the state's color-coded coronavirus regulatory framework, meaning some businesses that had reopened in recent weeks are required to close again or move operations outdoors. The designation impacts gyms, restaurants, movie theaters, places of worship, museums and zoos.

The county is reduced from the red tier to the purple tier for at least three weeks. The county had been in the red for a month, permitting many businesses to reopen with limited capacities. More information is available at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/.

"We have been through this situation before, and we have the tools to get back into the red tier," county Supervisor Manuel Perez said.

Returning to red tier so that more businesses can return indoors as quickly as possible means that all residents must remain vigilant and get tested, county officials said in a Friday news release. Getting tested is a critical step to early intervention that slows the spread to others.

Perez reminded residents there are a dozen coronavirus testing sites that offer both walk-up and drive-thru services for free. They can be found at gettested.ruhealth.org.

Kim Saruwatari, director of the county's public health department, said Tuesday that the county's testing rate is currently 195.5 per 100,000 population. The state's threshold for large counties is 239.21 per 100,000. The other criterion for red tier status is a daily COVID-19 case rate of 7 per 100,000 or less. The county is at 8.4 per 100,000, with an adjusted rate of 9.1 per 100,000, which was applied because the county testing threshold was deemed unsatisfactory per the state's thresholds.

The county's overall testing positivity rate is 5.2 percent, which is well within red tier criteria.

Here's what's open in Riverside County under the purple tier:

**Outdoor playgrounds and outdoor recreational facilities updated September 28, 2020
***Personal care services, live audience professional sports and amusement parks updated October 20, 2020