Picket Fence Media has posted weekly updates on the compilation of COVID-19 statistics and information, as reported daily by the Orange County Health Care Agency and other health agencies. This will be the last such update.
For COVID-19 numbers specifically in schools and South Orange County, scroll down.
Compiled by Collin Breaux
With record low COVID-19 cases in Orange County and throughout the state, California is set to mostly return to pre-pandemic conditions Tuesday when the state will fully reopen its economy.
Among the restrictions that will be lifted include capacity limits for businesses and events, social distancing requirements, and masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals in most instances.
Masks will still be required on public transit such as airplanes and ferries, indoors in K-12 schools and other youth settings, and health care settings, among other locations.
The June 15 reopening will also abolish the state’s four-tiered, color-coded economic blueprint system that has restricted activities in Orange County and elsewhere when COVID-19 cases were high.
The coming return to some sort of normal has long been anticipated by the local community and will pave the way for the full return of traditional events, including San Juan Capistrano’s in-person Coffee Chat at Hennessey’s Tavern.
Cal/OSHA has walked back controversial workplace mask requirements that were at odds with state plans.
Most restrictions have been generally lifted in Orange County for a while after the area went into the yellow tier (the state’s least restrictive tier of the blueprint system) in May.
Verification of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will be required for large-scale indoor events, defined as having 5,000 or more people.
The coming reopening comes as approximately half of Orange County’s population is fully vaccinated. Specifically, over 1.61 million of the county’s total estimated population of 3.17 million are considered fully vaccinated, or 50.7% of people in the county, as of June 9.
Vaccinations continue to occur in California, though demand is slowing. There have been over 3.26 million vaccine doses administered so far in Orange County.
Statewide, over 39 million doses have been administered, the California Department of Public Health reported. There have been 146,367 average doses per day. There are over 5.9 million doses on hand—representing 41 days of inventory. Over half of the state’s population (54.6%) is fully vaccinated.
Orange County has specifically had 3,269,793 doses so far. San Diego County has had over 3.6 million doses and Los Angeles County has had over 10 million doses.
Compared to last week’s numbers, that represents an increase of 105,453 doses for Orange County and less than one million for the state.
There were 56 hospitalizations reported by the county on Friday – a decrease from last Friday’s number, which was 59. The three-day average change in hospitalized patients is -11.2%.
Orange County reported 14 ICU patients as of Friday. That is a decrease from last week’s number of 13. There are 34.6% of total ICU beds available, a decrease from last week’s 37.6%. There are 79% of ventilators available.
The OCHCA reported 18 new COVID-19 cases and 3 new coronavirus-related deaths on Friday.
The county’s reported estimated amount of recoveries stands at 249,562 cases.
COVID-19 in South OC
San Clemente has 3,068 total cases and 36 total deaths, with 16 new cases and no new deaths over the past week.
San Juan Capistrano has 2,793 total cases and 74 total deaths, with no new cases or deaths over the past week.
Dana Point has 1,528 total cases and 33 total deaths, with 2 new cases and no new deaths over the past week.
Rancho Mission Viejo has 341 total cases, with no new cases this week. As unincorporated land with under 25,000 residents, the exact death total will not be reported for Rancho Mission Viejo until it reaches five, as it was for cases.
COVID-19 in Schools
Orange County continued to update school cases.
From Aug. 16 to June 5, there was a cumulative total of 3,789 cases in Orange County schools with 5 reported from May 30-June 5, and 4 from May 23-29. Of the total cases, there were 2,352 student cases, 773 teacher cases and 664 cases among other staff. As of June 5, there were 2,078 cases in elementary and middle schools, 1,071 cases in high schools, 118 cases in combined K-12 schools and 522 cases in colleges, universities and vocational schools.
The Capistrano Unified School District is reporting cases in each of its schools to an online dashboard. CUSD’s dashboard lists “active” cases on its dashboard, with the case remaining on the dashboard for 14 days from initial symptoms or test date.
In San Clemente, San Clemente High School had two cases.
Dana Point schools had no cases.
In San Juan Capistrano, Capistrano Union High School (formerly Serra High School) had one case.
In schools whose boundaries include those cities, Fred Newhart Middle School had one case.
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