Dr. Barbara Ferrer indicated that she hopes data will justify lifting restrictions slowly during the next three months, but she emphasized that lifting the current orders earlier isn't possible unless there's some dramatic change in the virus and tools are actually on hand to fight it.

Long Beach (with its own City-run Health Dept.) isn't legally obligated to follow L.A. County's stance, but it has generally remained consistent with the County while defending its right to apply different standards (as long they're within [not less restrictive than] Governor Newsom's emergency orders.) .

In recent days, both L.A. County and LB's Health Dept. eased their respective orders to allow incremental reopening of some non-essential retail operations (only certain types and with curbside uses only); and reopened golf courses, beachfront bike trails and hiking trails and (as of Jan. 13) allowing only "active" beach uses such as swimming, kayaking, walking/running, kitesurfing and the like but not sunbathing, canopies and the like. Requirements for physical distancing, facemasks when encountering others, quarantine and self-isolation requirements remain in effect.

It's not immediately clear whether Long Beach shares the stance voiced today by L.A. County but as of late afternoon May 12 the City of LB hadn't publicly distanced itself from her words either.

[Scroll down for further.]

As reported yesterday (May 11) by LBREPORT.com, during City's May 11 COVID0-19 briefing, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia signaled that consistent with L.A. County's view, the City of Long Beach won't be re-opening for all beach uses (including non-active uses) and other for uses for at least 14 days to review the data results from previously announced incremental recreational and retail reopenings. Mayor Garcia said the City needs to know the data results from its previously allowed reopenings before the City approves additional reopenings beyond the incremental reopenings.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Sponsor

Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.