State Pulls Emergency Brake on Blueprint for Safer Economy, Issues Limited Stay-at-Home Order for Purple Tier Jurisdictions

Amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the country and California, the Newsom Administration this week took immediate actions to mitigate the further spread of COVID-19. On Monday, the state pulled an “emergency brake” in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, moving 28 counties into the most restrictive Tier 1 (Purple/Widespread) category, nine counties into Tier 2 (Red/Substantial), and two counties into Tier 3 (Orange/Moderate). Counties now in Tier 1 account for 94.1 percent of the state’s population. The state additionally strengthened its guidance for the use of face coverings to require residents to wear a face covering whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions.

Following Monday’s actions, Acting State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan on Thursday issued a limited stay-at-home order requiring non-essential work, movement, and gatherings to cease between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am in Tier 1 (Purple/Widespread) counties. The order will take effect at 10:00 pm on Saturday, November 21 and remain in effect until 5:00 am on Monday, December 21.

The additional action order comes as the state continues to realize an unprecedented, rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The current growth in COVID-19 cases is faster than the state experienced in July 2020, which led to a significant peak in cases. According to the Newsom Administration, the state’s latest order is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission as activities conducted between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am are often non-essential and more likely to be social activities.

A copy of the State Public Health Officer order is available here. FAQs on the order are available here.