Red tier could be in sight as Riverside County coronavirus metrics improve

Riverside County's coronavirus numbers continue to improve, as the county has now met the positive rate metric required to move from the state's most restrictive, "widespread" purple tier for reopening to the less restrictive red tier.

Riverside County Health reported for the week ending Feb.13th, the county had an adjusted case rate of 16.6, a positivity rate of 7.6%, that figure is a seven-day average.Counties in the red tier must have a positivity rate between 5% to 8%.

Its been a hustle, inside Papa Dan's in Palm Desert.  

“We have been here every single day since this thing started we really have not missed a day," said Ira Mosely, owner of Papa Dan's.

Mosley is hoping to be able to serve even more pizza and customers if Riverside County moves to red tier status soon. 

“I know there’s a desire to say when are we gonna get out of this, give me a date," said Jose Arballo, public information specialist for Riverside County Health.

County spokesperson Arballo won't predict when we could see more restrictions lifted. 

We asked “are we on pace to move into the red tier?” 

“Our case rates are going down or positivity rates going down," said Arballo. "So we are heading in the right direction.” 

Riverside County has already delivered over 440,000 vaccine doses which gives the county some hope to reopening. 

We asked "do you think it could happen a week from Tuesday, or is it further from that?’

“If we were to follow the same trends over the next two weeks I could say that's a possibility, a good possibility," said Arballo. "But again, predicting these kinds of things is really not something that we do.” 

Some type possibility is something Mosely is welcoming. It would mean opening 25 percent of  indoor dining. 

“Oh I happy in lot of ways I mean obviously for business but obviously for the people who won’t be dying its a big thing the vaccine is doing alot," said Mosely.

A move to the red tier could also reopen gyms at 10 percent indoor capacity. It's an industry hurting with the long pandemic closures.  

“I am so excited that such great news," said Rian Dystra, EOS Fitness member. "I much rather have the air conditioning than this hot sun.” 

“The inside is where I’d love to be especially with the heat I can’t," said Matteo Jardion, EOS Fitness member.

In the past month, COVID numbers have fallen in Riverside County but our average weekly case rate is at 16.6 per 100,000 to move to the next tier we need to drop under 7.  

https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/

“We should be encouraging enough for people to go out there and get tested," said Arballo. "Remember, this is a long process. This is going to be months and months of vaccinating.” 

For more information on testing. CLICK HERE.

For more information on vaccine appointments. CLICK HERE.