More Fresno County businesses opened this week as the county moved into the second-most restrictive tier Wednesday. It must remain there for three weeks before it can advance to a less restrictive tier.
David Luchini, assistant director of the Fresno County health department, said two key indicators -- the county’s overall positivity rate and its health equity positivity rate -- are both below 5%. That could allow the county to reach the next tier even sooner, he said.
If those numbers stay in that range for two weeks, he said, “the state may let us go to the orange. Because I’ve seen that in other counties.”
But with Easter weekend coming and more schools and businesses opening, doctors advised people to keep practicing safety protocols.
County medical consultant Dr. John Zweifler says vaccines are key to keeping infections down.
“They’ve shown to be incredibly effective,” Zweifler said. “If you’re not vaccinated, your chances of getting COVID are 20 times more than someone who is vaccinated.”
All Californians aged 50 and over are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. Those 16 and over become eligible for vaccines starting April 15th.
In Fresno County, health department officials say they’re confident that supply will meet the increased demand. The county is preparing for another mass vaccination site, as well as more mobile vaccination sites to offer additional appointments.