Improving numbers on the coronavirus’s spread and intensive care capacity allow the state to loosen its restrictions and let some businesses reopen, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a Monday afternoon, Jan. 25, briefing.
“Today we can lay claim to starting to see some real light at the end of the tunnel as it relates to case numbers,” Newsom said.
The state lifted statewide stay-at-home orders and curfew orders effective Monday, returning the state to the color-coded tier system that had been in place based on each county’s numbers.
Fifty-four counties are in the most-restrictive purple tier — including all of Southern California — which still prohibits indoor dining and many other activities. But state prohibitions on outdoor dining at restaurants, nail and hair salons and other restrictions that went into place in December are now rescinded.
Those projections — which the state said it would release Monday, for the first time — are based largely on the fact that about 12% of coronavirus cases are hospitalized about two weeks later, and about 12% of those wind up in intensive care, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Service.
The formula was used in December because it predicted much of the state would have less than 15% of its ICU capacity available within days. That came true in Southern California, which now has been at 0% of its licensed capacity for weeks.
Now, Southern California’s ICUs are projected to have 33.3% of its intensive care units available in four weeks, Feb. 21, Newsom said.
An update on the tiers will come Tuesday, Newsom said.
During the weekend, San Francisco Bay Area ICU capacity surged to 23%, while the San Joaquin Valley increased to 1.3%, its first time above zero. The huge Southern California region, the most populous, remains at zero ICU capacity.
While the data is encouraging, especially with more vaccinations occurring, people still must be careful, Newsom said.
“Deaths continue to be significant,” he said. “This is a sobering reminder of how deadly this pandemic remains, more so now than ever.”
For the past seven days, an average of 504 people per day have died of COVID-19 statewide.
Newsom also announced that people will soon be able to sign up for notifications on when they’re able to receive a vaccine.
The governor also responded to accusations that Monday’s announcement was related to the recall campaign against him and lawsuits against the orders, including one brought by San Bernardino County.
“That’s complete, utter nonsense, so let’s just dispense with that,” Newsom said.
