BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On Tuesday, Public Health announced that Kern County meets all three orange tier metrics and if those thresholds are maintained for another week the county could move into the red tier as early as April 14.
Kern County currently has 5.3 COVID cases per 100,000 residents which is below the 5.9 needed to trigger the orange tier. In addition, the county's positivity rate of 2.3-percent and health equity rate of 3.4-percent also fall within the orange tier requirements.
Also on Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California's economy could fully reopen on June 15 if the state's vaccine supply is adequate for residents 16 and older who wish to be vaccinated to be inoculated and if hospitalization rates are stable and low.
Newsom said if these requirements are met, everyday activities will be allowed and businesses can open with common-sense risk reduction measures. He said businesses should still at that time encourage everyone to wear masks and get the vaccine.
The entire state would move into this new phase as a whole. This announcement coming less than 24 hours after Newsom claimed California has the lowest positivity rate in the country.
Public Health continued to encourage everyone to maintain current health practices and to get vaccinated.
