Solano County may move to restrictive tier as COVID cases rise
Cases continue to rise, worrying health officials that Solano County could revert to the restrictive "purple" tier.
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Solano County officials could be forced to clamp down on indoor businesses and other activities due to a recent increase in coronavirus infections.
On Friday, county health officials reported more than 100 new positive cases of COVID-19. That number is more than double the 40-or-so cases that were reported just one month ago.
The spike suggests residents and businesses lowered their guard last month after Solano County moved from the state’s most-restrictive tier (known as “purple”) to a less-restrictive one (known as “red").
On Monday, a county health official told the Daily Republic newspaper that officials expected the state to report Solano County was flirting dangerously close with having to move back into the more-restrictive “purple” tier.
The state’s chief health official did not mention Solano County during a press conference on Tuesday, but county health officials are still concerned that the county will have to tighten restrictions on businesses and other operations if numbers don’t ease up in the next week or two.
If that happens, county officials say small businesses and restaurants would be hurt the most while large businesses would likely see a negligible drop in customer traffic. Last month, restaurants were allowed to seat people indoors for the first time in several months and indoor businesses like gyms were able to offer limited services.
That would change if state officials moved Solano County back into the “purple” tier: Restaurants would no longer be allowed to serve people indoors and businesses like gyms would have to revert to outdoor activities or shut down again completely.
Fairfield and Vallejo have experienced the most COVID-19 infections in Solano County since health officials started collecting data in late February. As of Wednesday, Vallejo had logged 2,348 positive COVID-19 cases while Fairfield trailed slightly behind with 2,330 positive cases.
Vacaville — where the first positive case in the United States was diagnosed — had 1,244 positive cases since March. Rio Vista had the fewest infections with just 57 positive cases.
There were 284 active COVID-19 cases in Solano County as of Wednesday and nearly 7,200 cases since March, according to the county’s data.
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