County of Ventura: Covid 19 Update March 16, 2021

County of Ventura moves forward to the Red Tier 12:01 am March 17

Easing restrictions for specific industries and activities following State issued guidance

The County of Ventura will move to the State’s Red Tier beginning 12:01 am Wednesday, March 17, 2021. “This is great news for our community and an opportunity to work together to support our local businesses as we move forward in reopening our economy,” said County Executive Officer, Michael Powers.

In alignment with the state’s reopening framework, masking, distancing and infection control practices remain in place.

“We are pleased to see case counts declining, vaccination rates increasing, and a continued commitment by our residents to wearing masks, social distancing, and staying outdoors as much as possible when interacting with people outside their household,” said Public Health Officer Doctor Robert Levin. “This is a pivotal moment: if our community continues to be cautious and follow public health guidance, things will continue to improve. If people let down their guard and begin engaging in risky activities, we will likely see another surge in cases.”

The State’s Blueprint tracks three metrics: the seven-day adjusted case rate, the seven-day testing positivity rate and the health equity metric. Ventura County’s case rate is 6.5, testing positivity is 2.8% (orange tier) and health equity testing positivity is 5.0% (orange).

Moving from the purple tier into the red tier for the County means:

Restaurants can open indoors with 25 percent capacity or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is fewer. The 11 pm closure requirement is lifted. The single household dining limitation is lifted. State gathering guidance limits gatherings to 3 households or less.
Retail establishments can open indoors at 50 percent capacity.
Indoor Shopping Malls can increase capacity to 50 percent with common areas remaining closed; food courts can open at 25 percent capacity adhering to the restaurant guidance for indoor dining.
Movie theaters can open indoors with 25 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
Gyms, Fitness Centers, Yoga and Dance Studios can open indoors with 10 percent capacity with 6-ft social distancing instead of the previous requirement of 12 ft.
Museums, zoos, and aquariums can open indoor activities at 25 percent capacity.
Breweries, wineries and distilleries that do not serve meals can open outdoors only with modifications. The modifications include ensuring that patrons have reservations and patrons observe a 90-minute time limit. Service for on-site consumption must end by 8:00 p.m.
Bars that do not serve meals remain closed in the Purple and Red tiers.
Private gatherings can occur both outdoors and indoors with up to 3 separate households.
Schools are permitted to re-open for in-person instruction adhering to all state and county directives. This includes grades 7-12. Grades kindergarten – 6 already had the option of opening.
Family entertainment centers (kart racing, mini-golf, batting cages) can open outdoors with modifications.
Personal care services can continue to operate indoors following state guidance.

The County is aligned with the state issued guidance in all areas. For details and sector-specific health guidance, visit covid19.ca.gov.

Additional updated guidance:

Golf carts do not need a partition between members of different households. They are recommended but not required.
Local HOA pool guidance has been lifted. HOA pools are encouraged to follow suggested County guidance. Public or community pools continue to follow state issued guidance.
2 swimmers per lane are permitted in a public outdoor swimming pool.
Wind instruments are allowed outdoors with bell covers and 6 feet distance between instruments. There must be 20 feet distance at a minimum between the instruments and the audience.

“The credit belongs to our residents, who have made many sacrifices and worked hard to improve our community transmission metrics,” said Public Health Director Rigoberto Vargas. “That same hard work must continue moving forward so that we don’t revert back to the purple tier and instead continue making progress towards the next tier, orange, so that various sectors can increase their capacity and additional activities can take place.”

For more information please visitwww.venturacountyrecovers.org or by calling the COVID Business Compliance line at 805-202-1805.

COVID-19 Update

There are 79 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 3,369 new tests performed.

There have been 2 additional deaths: 66 year old male and 94 year old female.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of those who have passed away.

The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .53 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .74 right now.

Tune in for the weekly COVID-19 Update press conference Wednesday, March 17 at 1 pm at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.

Vaccine Information

Keeping it local: COVID-19 Vaccine appointments are for those that live or work in Ventura County. Those who do not live or work in Ventura County will be turned away at their vaccine appointment. The State’s My Turn platform allows anyone from anywhere to make an appointment. Please share with any out of County friends or family that a person must show proof of living or working in our County to get vaccinated at one of our sites.

Eligibility: COVID-19 Vaccines are available for adults age 65 and older, healthcare, food and agriculture, education and childcare, emergency services, qualifying regional center family caregivers and those 16-64 with serious health conditions. More information at the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/.

How to make an appointment:

Appointments open each week on Mondays at 7 am online am on the phone line for those with limited internet access: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/

If you have limited internet access you can also call the registration hotline at 805-477-7161. The phone line is staffed M-F 8-5. Appointments are set aside for both online registration and the phone line.

The Area Agency on Aging provides transportation services for older adults that are in need of transportation to a vaccine appointment or for COVID-19 testing. This includes people that need lift assist as well as gurney transportation. The driver will take the individual, wait for them, help them at the site and take them home. To schedule a ride call 805-477-7300. Please note, you must have a vaccine appointment before you schedule a ride to a vaccine site.

NEW VACCINE PHASE OPENED 3/15: Individuals aged 16-64 who are deemed to be at the very highest risk to get very sick from COVID-19 because they have the following severe health conditions are now eligible:

Cancer, current with weakened immune system
Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
Down syndrome
Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
Severe obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 40 kg/m2)
Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%

OR

If as a result of a developmental or other severe high-risk disability one or more of the following applies:

The individual is likely to develop severe life-threatening illness or death from COVID-19 infection
Acquiring COVID-19 will limit the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival
Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging as a result of the individual’s disability.

To protect confidentiality, verification documentation of the diagnosis or type of disability is not required but instead anyone meeting the eligibility requirements will be asked to give a verbal self-certification that they meet the criteria for high-risk medical conditions or disabilities. Learn more here: Vaccines for People with High-Risk Medical Conditions or Disabilities

2nd Dose Appointment

After receiving your first dose, you will become eligible for your second dose after a waiting period of 21 days if you received Pfizer and 28 days if you received Moderna.

You do not need to receive your second dose on the exact date you become eligible. You have a window of 6 weeks from getting your first dose to receive your second dose. Please do not schedule your second dose earlier than recommended. Refer to your vaccination card, which will list the date you received your first dose.

Appointments open weekly. There are three ways to secure a 2nd dose appointment:

1) You will receive an email from Public Health with links to appointments the week before your 2nd dose is due. You select a link and make an appointment.

2) You can also make an appointment on our website when appointments are available. Appointments open weekly: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/registration-d2/?elig=p1.

3) You can also call the registration hotline 805-477-7161. This hotline is intended for those with limited access to the internet.