Orange County’s COVID-19 daily statistics Friday continued the county on its path to move up from the red to the orange tier in the state’s program to reopen the economy.
The county reported 156 COVID-19 cases, upping its cumulative to 250,095. The county also logged 19 more COVID-19 fatalities, upping the overall death toll to 4,684.
The reporting of the fatalities are often delayed. Some of the deaths logged Friday happened in January, for instance.
The death toll for March increased to 79, and to 526 for February. In January, the deadliest month of the pandemic, there have been 1,452 fatalities logged. In December, the second deadliest month, there were 919 deaths reported.
The county reported 156 new COVID-19 cases, upping the cumulative total to 250,095, and hospitalizations increased from 167 to 172, with the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care dropping by four to 31, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The last time overall hospitalizations were this low was Oct. 26. It’s not clear when ICU numbers were this low, as the county’s website dates back to late May and there is no data lower than 31 patients.
Visiting an AltaMed clinic in Santa Ana, Gov. Gavin Newsom praised efforts to inoculate underprivileged people in the hardest-hit neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic — while also announcing he would expand the population of Californians eligible for vaccines.
To handle that expected influx of vaccine seekers, Orange County officials are considering opening a new vaccine distribution point at the Orange County Fairgrounds next week, Orange County Board Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee said.
“It’s always been a place we’ve talked about as a possible spot,” Chaffee said.
Anyone 50 or older will be able to get vaccinated starting April 1, and everyone 16 and older will be eligible on April 15, Newsom announced Thursday. He also said that family members who bring in a senior to clinics such as AltaMed should get the coronavirus vaccine as well.
“Also today, we are loosening requirements to provide AltaMed and others to use their discretion, regardless of your age or preexisting conditions, if someone comes in eligible under the existing rules, but with a family member, to accommodate the family member, no questions asked,” Newsom said.
The governor said the Biden administration has assured state officials of a more robust supply of vaccines than earlier expected, prompting an expansion of who is eligible for inoculations.
“We were given assurances publicly and privately around (Johnson & Johnson) that were more promising than we understood just a few weeks ago,” Newsom said. “Our ability to do more has always been constrained by supply.”
The governor said that as of April 1, he will join those eligible for vaccines.
“I hope this is coming as a positive mood for those waiting in line … by the way, that includes myself,” Newsom said. “I will be eligible next Thursday.”
Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento praised the governor for a focus on inoculating lower-income residents most afflicted by the pandemic.
“Orange County has always had the label of being an affluent, homogenous community,” Sarmiento said. “It really isn’t. It’s an evolving county … We have some of the highest indexes not only of COVID, but also folks who live under the poverty line.”
If current COVID-19 trends continue, Orange County could graduate from the red to the orange tier under the state’s blueprint for reopening the economy by March 31, officials said.
Orange County CEO Frank Kim said the case rate as of Friday was 3.2, the positivity rate was 1.8%, which qualifies for the yellow tier, and the positivity rate among in the health equity category was 3.1%.
Moving up to the orange tier would allow for more business to reopen. Retail stores would not have to limit attendance, and churches, movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums could expand attendance to 50% of capacity. Restaurants could expand indoor dining to 50%, wineries could offer indoor service at 25%, and bars that don’t serve food could reopen outdoors for the first time.
Gyms and fitness centers could expand to 25% of capacity, and family entertainment centers could offer indoor attractions such as bowling.
The latest weekly update from the state, issued on Tuesdays, showed the county’s test positivity rate improved from 2.2% to 2.1%, and the adjusted case rate per 100,000 people on a seven-day average with a seven-day lag improved from 4 to 3.5.
The county’s Health Equity Quartile rate, which measures positivity in hotspots in disadvantaged communities, improved from 3.5% last week to 3.2%.
The OCHCA reported 12,390 COVID-19 tests Friday, raising the cumulative total to 3,296,249.
Orange County is doing 277.5 tests per 100,000 people on a seven-day average with a seven-day lag. Its testing average mirrors the state average, Kim said.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes reopened visits at the county’s jails on Friday for the first time in a year. Barnes said the protocols he implemented to curb the spread of coronavirus in the jails have been successful.
There were no inmates infected with the virus as of Thursday, according to Lt. Dennis Breckner. Authorities were awaiting results of 455 tests. Inmates will be able to get one visit per month initially, the sheriff said.
Also, the sheriff can now offer vaccines to all inmates. Previously, the county worked to inoculate seniors who were 65 and older.
Kim praised the sheriff for his department’s and the Health Care Agency’s work to curb the spread of coronavirus in the jails following a significant spike that started in December.
“I think it’s an incredible credit to their diligence and commitment,” Kim said. “We’re really happy to see that because ultimately these are people in our care and it’s important we treat them with dignity.”
Barnes said he would continue to oppose the American Civil Liberties Union’s efforts to compel the release of more inmates to help curb the spread of COVID-19, noting he has released 1,700 low-level offenders since the pandemic started.
“I believe they represent a significant risk to the community if released,” he said.