Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
LA County Enters Yellow Tier, The Biggest Reopening Yet
Customers at the bar at Pura Vita restaurant in West Hollywood.
(
Courtesy of Pura Vita
)
It's official: Los Angeles County is now eligible to advance into the state's least restrictive reopening tier.
The move to the yellow tier was confirmed this morning by California health officials, though the threshold to meet that phase was relaxed a few months ago.
Counties originally had to post an adjusted case rate of one case for every 100,000 residents.
Now, that benchmark is two new cases for every 100,000 people, which L.A. County has met, and maintained, in recent weeks. BTW, counties must hit metrics in these three areas to advance: case rate, positivity rate and health equity metric
It's a big step, but don't expect any major changes right away.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told us the move into yellow mostly means that many businesses that have already reopened can expand their indoor capacity — and one sector can welcome back customers for the first time since the summer:
"The only place where there's a significant difference is, bars will be able to provide indoor service with a limit on their capacity, at 25%. So, a small number of people will be able to be served indoors at bars, it's really at 25%, no more. But that, for some places, will be a very big difference."
Sponsored message
And, as always with each move into a new tier, L.A. County has the option to impose stricter limitations than the state's guidelines.
Officials are expected to come out with county-specific rules sometime tomorrow, which will go into effect on Thursday.
Unlike the rest of L.A. County, the city of Pasadena is transitioning to the yellow tier tomorrow. Pasadena has its own health department and usually makes decisions separate from the L.A. County's health department.
Producer Pablo Cabrera contributed reporting.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
