LA and Orange counties have now met requirements to get out of strictest tier but they're not moving just yet

LA and Orange counties have now met the requirements to get out of the purple - or strictest tier - in the state's coronavirus reopening system but they're not moving just yet.

Under the current rules, counties have to meet the requirements for two weeks in a row before moving down into a less restrictive tier - red.

But the state plans to relax the rules when 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the hardest hit areas of the state.

We're on the verge of hitting that goal so it's possible the counties may be able to move into the red tier within a matter of days.

At that point, students in grades 7 through 12 could return to in-person instruction, movie theaters could reopen and indoor dining could resume, IF authorized by local officials.

LA County's public health director, Barbara Ferrer, has indicated indoor dining may not immediately be allowed upon a move to the red tier, pointing to a CDC study that finds on-site dining is associated with increases in case and death growth rates.

"And that's something that we will need to take into account as we begin more re-openings in our restaurants," she says.

Ferrer said public health officials are working with county supervisors to plan for a "sensible and safe reopening."

Featured Image Photo Credit: Tents stand at a large scale COVID-19 vaccination site under construction at Cal State Los Angeles on February 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. The vaccine center will be focused on people with limited access to transportation and those from vulnerable communities and is expected to open February 16. The site will be staffed by mostly federal government workers including officials from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)