Several California counties move up in tier system
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION)
UPDATE 9/29/2020 12:50 p.m. Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California Health and Human Services Secretary, announced that several counties are moving up through the tier system.
Counties that have moved from the purple tier to the red one include:
- Butte
- Contra Costa
- Fresno
- Sacramento
- San Joaquin
- Santa Barbara
- Yolo
Counties moving from the red tier to the orange one include:
- Amador
- Calaveras
- San Francisco
Dr. Ghaly also announced that there will soon be a new criteria used for assigning counties to tiers. It is called the Health Equity Metric, but he did not release more information. He said details will be coming soon.
In addition to tier updates, California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris spoke about mental health resources for those struggling during the pandemic.
CalHOPE, which can be found here, is a website with self-help tools and resources, but there is also a CalHOPE warmline. Dr. Burke Harris said it is not a crisis line, but peer counselors are available to help and connect people with resources.
PREVIOUS STORY: California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly is expected to provide an update on the state's four-tier reopening plan Tuesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his COVID-19 update Monday that Dr. Ghaly is expected to announce more counties moving up through the tier system.
Both Monterey and San Benito Counties are in the purple tier, the most restrictive, but Santa Cruz County has already moved up to the red tier.
According to the California Department of Public Health, there were more than 802,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide as of Sept. 26. 15,587 people have died.
