Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its positivity rate, adjusted case rate, and health equity metric. Counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving to a less restrictive tier. Counties must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks to move to a less restrictive tier. If a county’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will be assigned a more restrictive tier. For the latest information on county tier assignments, please refer to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

The advancement in tiers significantly increases the number of residents now eligible to receive the COVID Vaccine in San Joaquin County, however vaccine supply remains limited. The second-dose of vaccine must be from the same vaccine manufacturer as your first dose and administered by the same provider you got your first dose from.

For Pfizer, the second dose is to be given 21 days following the first dose. For Moderna, the second dose is to be given 28 days following the first dose. More information should be available on your vaccination card.

For more information on vaccine distribution and eligibility, please visit the San Joaquin County Public Health Services website.

The CDC released guidance that fully vaccinated people can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people in small groups without wearing masks or practicing physical distancing.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks or more after they have received the second dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, or two weeks or more after they have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Fully vaccinated people can also visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.

Fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Wear a mask and maintain physical distance in public
• Mask, physically distance and practice other prevention measures when visiting:
  • Unvaccinated people at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
  • People who have an unvaccinated household member at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
  • Unvaccinated people from multiple households
  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings

People can spread COVID-19 without knowing they are sick, so protect your family, friends, and neighbors by getting tested. You can get tested for free, even if you don't have symptoms. People who are at higher risk (such as healthcare workers, first responders, people living with or caring for the elderly, and workers with lots of contact with the public) should get tested at least monthly.

Employees in certain sensitive professions may be notified by their employer if they need to be tested more frequently than once a month. Widespread testing provides a more accurate picture of how many cases exist in our community and where the virus is spreading. It also helps identify people without symptoms who could be spreading COVID-19 so they can stay away from work and public places until their infectious period is over.

Testing is one of the key indicators we are tracking as we assess whether, and to what extent, we can move away from the existing shelter-in-place restrictions. For more information on COVID-19 testing and locations, please visit the San Joaquin County Public Health Services website.