Truckee, CA…Nevada County’s COVID case rate has kept our communities countywide in the State’s Purple Tier. We are one county and can only open when, together, we have numbers that align with the State’s blueprint.  The past year has been challenging and frustrating, but the science is very simple and settled–  each one of us must remain vigilant, avoid gatherings, wear our masks, limit indoor activities with others, practice social distancing, and take all precautions to avoid spreading the virus. Individual action leads to collective mitigation that will get us all out of the most restrictive tier.

“We are at the cusp of moving forward towards the Red Tier, but we need everyone in our community to do their part so we can get back to business,” said Vice-Chair and District 4 Supervisor Sue Hoek.

To move into the less restrictive Red Tier, our county must meet specific criteria for two consecutive weeks. Today, Nevada County met the metrics for the Red Tier for the first time since November. If our case rate stays below 10 cases per day and our positivity rate stays below 8%, we will be able to move into the Red Tier as early as March 30th.

“To keep our case rate low, we rely on each individual and business in our community to help slow the spread,” said Truckee Mayor Anna Klovstad. “This means helping all of our communities countywide to understand the importance of following the health mandate, providing support where appropriate, and building a sense of partnership.”

“We are only going to get through this by working together, all our communities, across Nevada County,” added District 5 Supervisor Hardy Bullock.

We all have the same common goals: to reduce the spread of COVID so we can begin to safely reopen our businesses and return to some level of normalcy.

“City, Town, and County staff continue to collaborate to reduce current case rates, improve awareness and speed our safe reopening,” said Nevada City Mayor Erin Minett.

“By reducing the spread of COVID, we support the safe reopening of our businesses and our community’s health,” added Grass Valley Mayor Ben Aguilar.

Just as our businesses and community members each have individual roles in minimizing local transmission, local government continues to partner to gather all resources possible to support our communities through the hardships of a pandemic. The new relief package from the federal government will provide additional and much more substantial relief for our business and non-profit community compared to previous rounds.

Nevada County Public Health continues to partner with vaccine providers throughout the community. Nevada County’s vaccination rate puts us in the top five California counties by the population percentage through these partnerships. Efforts like the Public Health REACH (Resources for Equity and Access in Community Health) Team meet people where they are, bringing vaccines to those who are hardest-to-reach and have some of the highest levels of exposure and risk.

As more vaccines continue to become available, residents are encouraged to make every effort to be vaccinated. “We have three safe, highly effective vaccines available to fight COVID-19. This is one of the best tools we have to protect not only yourself but your friends and loved ones you come into contact with. Being immunized will get our businesses back on track,” said Dr. Scott Kellermann, Nevada County’s Public Health Officer. “If you have been offered a vaccine, take it. Every vaccination gets us closer to the finish line.”

If you are over 65, a frontline worker, or have a chronic health condition, you may be eligible to be vaccinated. Register with MyTurn.CA.Gov to check your eligibility and check the County’s Vaccine Provider webpage for additional vaccine opportunities near you. As your local government representatives, our promise is to continue to bring creative and collaborative solutions to emerge from this pandemic stronger than before. As we have many times throughout the past year, we are facing a pivotal moment when we must stand together. It depends on each of us to do our part to end this pandemic. Together we are Nevada County Strong.