Orange Counties- the state’s third-largest city by population — are inching closer to the red tier. Just last week, the adjusted COVID-19 case rate per hundred thousand was about 12. This week, that number fell to 7.2. Once it’s under seven, the county will very likely qualify for the red tier.  It may edge below the threshold to the red tier by next week, although there is a slight catch. Orange County must remain in the purple tier for another two consecutive weeks before the purple-level restrictions will be lifted. Once these restrictions are lifted what will change for Yorba Linda High School?

First, we need to understand what moves into the red tier will mean for the majority of Yorba Linda such as businesses. Theaters can reopen for indoor operations at 25% capacity or a total of 100 people, whichever is fewer. Restaurants can reopen indoors although they are subject to the same restrictions. Retail stores, shopping centers, zoos, and museums are available to operate at 50% capacity. Hotels can reopen with modifications. Gyms can reopen indoors with a very limited capacity. Amusement parks are to remain closed until counties reach the yellow tier.

As for Yorba Linda High School, we can already see things resuming. The California Department of Public Health’s revised guidance on youth sports cleared the way for high-contact sports such as football, field hockey, rugby, and water polo to resume. “High school sports were paused in March when campuses shut down as COVID-19 began spreading across the state. In July, the CIF, the state’s governing body for high school sports, delayed the 2020-21 fall sports season as cases continued ticking up across California. After months of sitting on the sidelines, coaches, parents, and athletes have rallied in front of schools and put pressure on state officials for the return of competitive sports” (LAtimes).

Abigail Alexis Alcoseba (10) states, “I think it’s great that Orange County is moving towards the right direction and I hope we stay on the right track to keep COVID-19 cases from rising. As someone who has been personally affected by a loss of a family member due to COVID-19, I hope that this doesn’t mean people will get more lenient with their masks and that they still keep up with proper safety precautions. Although, I am hopeful that we as a community will continue to stay strong and that we can eventually get back to normal daily life.” Just like Abigail said, even though we are moving into a new, less restrictive tier, we should still continue to wear face masks in public settings, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.