L.A. County (and most So. Cal counties except SD) are in the new system's "purple" category -- "widespread" (the worst) -- with too many COVID-19 cases to allow widespread reopenings. However the Governor's syste, allows indoor barber shops/hair salons under strict guideliines IF the County health officials approve it (no immediate decision on that yet.).

"Schools in the (Purple) Widespread tier aren’t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction, unless they receive a waiver from their local health department for TK-6 grades," a release from the Governor's office said. "Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the Red (Substantial) tier for at least two weeks."

Absent data improvement for at least three weeks, indoor restaurant service remains prohibited for now..

The Governor's new system has four color-coded tiers" Purple (Widespread), Red (Substantial), Orange (Moderate) and Yellow (Minimal) and "based on how prevalent COVID-19 is in each county and the extent of community spread. That color will indicate how sectors can operate."

Summarized, the newsystem is based on two metrics: the number of new cases per day (per 100,000 residents) and the positivity rate (number of positive test results compared to all tests administered). The breakdown for each tier is as follows:

[continued Gov. release text] Purple (Widespread) is substituted for the previous County Data Monitoring List (which has equivalent criteria to Purple). Schools in the (Purple) Widespread tier aren’t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction, unless they receive a waiver from their local health department for TK-6 grades. Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the Red (Substantial) tier for at least two weeks.

The plan also emphasizes that no matter what restrictions the state puts in place, COVID-19 will get the upper hand if Californians don’t adapt their behaviors for the duration of the pandemic.

That means, until an effective vaccine is distributed, Californians must wear a mask every time they’re with people outside their household. Residents must take activities outside and maintain distance even with loved ones who do not live with them. Californians must realize that the safest place to be is still at home. And the elderly and those with medical conditions should still stay away from others as much as possible.

LA County (and most of CA's counties) were on the state's (now former) monitoring list because they exceeded Sac'to-accepted levels for COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations. OC and SD counties had COVID-19 data in recent weeks meeting Sac'to's standards and exited the now-former monitoring list.

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The new system requires [Governor's release text]:

• At least 21 days to expand activities beyond the initial tier to ensure California better limits the spread of the virus;
• Mandatory metrics -- case rates and test positivity -- to measure how widespread COVID-19 is in each county and guide what is allowed;
• A uniform state framework, with four categories instead of 58 different sets of rules;
• A more nuanced way of allowing activity: Instead of open vs. closed, sectors can be partially opened and progressively add to their operations as disease transmission decreases; and
• A new process for tightening back up again quickly when conditions worsen.

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