State health officials lift Regional Stay at Home Order for all regions, including Valley

The move allows counties to return to the rules and framework of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and color-coded tiers that indicate which activities and businesses are open based on local case rates and test positivity. 

As of January 25, the current daily adjusted COVID-19 case rate in Kings County is 77.2 per 100,000. The seven-day average testing positivity is at 17.5%, placing Kings County in the Widespread Purple Tier.

While the regional order has been lifted, allowing many businesses to reopen in some capacity, the high case rate and testing positivity in the County demonstrate the need for continued diligence with COVID-19 prevention measures.  Mask wearing, avoiding gatherings, and staying home when sick continue to be among our best tools to fight the pandemic. Tier updates will be provided weekly on Tuesdays at covid19.ca.gov. 

Effective immediately, the following sectors are only allowed to operate OUTDOORS with modifications under the Purple Tier:

• Restaurants
• Gyms and Fitness Centers
• Places of Worship
• Movie Theaters
• Cardrooms, Satellite Wagering
• Family Entertainment Centers
• Museums, Zoos, Aquariums
• Campground, Playgrounds and Recreational Facilities
• Bars, Breweries, Distilleries (where no meal provided) – Closed. For bars providing food, follow restaurant status limitations.

The following sectors are allowed to operate INDOORS with modifications under the Purple Tier:

• All retail (maximum 25% indoor capacity)
• Hair Salons, Barber Shops, Nail Salons & Personal Care Services
• Shopping centers (maximum 25% indoor capacity & closed common areas & food courts)

Schools

Higher Education Institutions:

• Closed for indoor lectures and student gatherings.
• Some courses conducted indoors, such as labs and studio arts, may be open.

K-12 Education:

• Districts that began reopening for in-person learning in the Red Tier (November 2020) may continue phased reopening under updated State guidance.  Schools that did not open while Kings County was in the Red Tier must remain closed for in-person instruction, serving only specialized cohorts.
• School guidance and accepted reopening practices can be found on the new Safe Schools for All Hub: https://schools.covid19.ca.gov/

Given the Statewide surge in COVID cases, schools are strongly encouraged to maintain diligence in prevention requirements such as masking and distancing and adhere as closely as possible to all other prevention measures, as appropriate for the student and staff population.

The State’s Blueprint Tier Metrics

Tier 1: Widespread, Purple Tier (Highest Risk) - Many non-essential indoor business operations are closed. Average daily case rate of 7 or more per 100,000 and testing positivity of more than 8%.

Tier 2:  Substantial, Red Tier- Some non-essential indoor business operations are closed. Average daily case rate of 4-7, testing positivity of 5-8%.

Tier 3: Moderate, Orange Tier- some indoor business operations are open with modifications. Average daily case rate of 1-3.9 per 100,000 and testing positivity 2-4.9%.

Tier 4, Minimal, Yellow Tier- Most business operations are open with modifications. Average daily case rate of less than 1 and testing positivity <2%.

Requirements to move to the lower tiers:

• 21-day mandatory wait-time between moves
• Counties only move 1 tier at a time.
• Reassessed Weekly

Events that will move counties back to higher tiers:

• Fail to meet current tier’s metrics for 2 straight weeks
• “Emergency brake” for concerning factors like increases in hospitalizations.

Check Kings County’s tier status to see how businesses and activities can open at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/  For local COVID updates, including testing and vaccination information, visit www.kingscovidinfo.com