Rayne Frantzen
Breaking News Beat Reporter
Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health announced on Monday that the statewide stay-at-home order has been lifted, which means that restaurants and businesses are allowed to function according to social distancing guidelines in many counties.
After pulling an “emergency brake” last November due to an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, Newsom officially lifted the order this week, as hospitalization rates appear to be improving. Despite the surge of infections during the holidays, the projected state intensive care unit availability is currently above 15 percent.
Because most counties in California will now be classified under the color-coded tier system, Santa Barbara county will remain operating under purple tier rules, which means that most indoor operations will have to remain closed. This includes restaurants, gyms and other activities and services. Outdoor restaurant dining, as well as hair and nail salons, will likely be allowed to reopen with restrictions.
In order to exit the purple tier, the county will need to report a daily adjusted new case rate of no more than seven.
The California Department of Public Health still encourages people to continue wearing masks to protect themselves and others, staying at least six feet away from others, avoiding crowds, and only leaving for essential services and necessities.