A.M. Brief: L.A. County to Move to Orange Tier on April 5

L.A. bars will soon open for outdoor service. Republicans remain skeptical of COVID-19 vaccination. UCLA students go wild after an upset victory put the Bruins in the Final Four. It’s Wednesday. This is your news brief. Take it!

Morning News Rundown

State officials say that both Orange and Los Angeles counties are approved to move to the orange tier of reopening, further relaxing capacity restrictions on restaurants, theaters, museums, gyms, churches, and retail locations, while also allowing bars to open for outdoor service. Orange County is immediately moving into the less restrictive tier, while L.A. plans to follow suit on April 5, assuming there is no spike in COVID-19 numbers. [CBS Los Angeles]

California Republicans remain the most hesitant group to seek out COVID-19 vaccination. A poll released Tuesday by the Public Policy Institute of California showed that 39% of Republicans in the state say they will either definitely not or probably not get vaccinated. This compares to only 10% of Democrats who say they are unlikely to get vaccinated. A poll conducted in January showed 43% hesitancy among Republicans, showing there has been only a slight rise in acceptance over the past two months. [L.A. Times]

With an upset defeat over Michigan last night, the UCLA men’s basketball team has advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2008. They next face off against undefeated Gonzaga this Saturday. A crowd of students massed in the streets of Westwood following Tuesday night’s victory. Amid the celebration, fireworks were exploded and several couches were set ablaze. [ABC 7]

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced it will reopen to the public on April 16. Some of the park’s attractions will remain closed to adhere to public health guidelines, and initially tickets will only be made available to California residents. [We Like L.A]

For the first time in over a year, traffic in Los Angeles has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Traffic activity decreased around 50% during the early weeks of the pandemic. [KTLA]