+ Long Beach Applies Tightened COVID-19 Restrictions (Paralleling LA County) Impacting Certain Businesses, Group Gatherings And Mandates Face Masks On Everyone Leaving Their Homes (With Limited Exceptions)
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Long Beach Applies Tightened COVID-19 Restrictions (Paralleling LA County) Impacting Certain Businesses, Group Gatherings And Mandates Face Masks On Everyone Leaving Their Homes (With Limited Exceptions)



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(November 19, 2020, 4:45 a.m.) -- Following a similar announcement hours earlier by the LA County Dept. of Public Health, the City of LB via Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis indicated (Nov. 18) that later today (Nov. 19) she will finalize and issue series of tightened COVID-19 restrictions (effective Nov. 20) applicable to certain LB businesses, group gatherings and, with few exceptions and circumstances, mandates face masks for everyone leaving his/her residence.

"A face covering is required over both your nose and mouth whenever you leave your place of residence" unless limited exceptions apply. Exceptions include "persons traveling in a car alone or solely with members of their household...people who are working in an office or a room alone...Persons who are actively eating or drinking provided that they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet away from persons who are not members of the same household or residence [and] Persons who are outdoors and maintaining at least six feet of physical distancing from others not in their household. Such persons must have a face covering with them at all times and must put it on if they are within six feet of others who are not in their household."

On October 1, LB's positivity test result rate for COVID-19 was 8.1%. As of November 18, it's 14,9% (a nearly 85% increase in positive test results in the past six weeks (6.8/8.1=.83,9%).

Earlier in the day on Nov. 18, L.A. County Health Officer Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D signaled the possibility of returning to a full lockdown unless the upward case trend is reversed. LB Health Officer Davis didn't go that far, but a City of LB release opened the door to a full lockdown if LA County were to impose one. "The City of Long Beach will continue to monitor data and consult with Los Angeles County on any possible future restrictions to the Safer at Home Health Order," a LB release said.

Among salient portions of Long Beach's tightened restrictions effective Nov. 20 at 12:01 a.m. are:

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New Capacity Limits for Businesses

  • Non-essential businesses, including retail stores and personal care services, and offices for essential businesses, healthcare operations, or essential infrastructure may operate at no more than 25% maximum occupancy.
  • Restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries that offer outdoor in-person dining should achieve no more than 50% maximum occupancy by separating different tables by eight feet. This requirement is to ensure that a physical distance of six feet between customers and workers is achieved while customers are seated.
  • Outdoor family entertainment centers such as those located in public parks, batting cages and mini golf courses may operate at no more than 50% maximum occupancy to ensure a minimum six-foot distance between members of different households.

Changes to Personal Care Services

  • Services may only be performed by appointment.
  • Customers and staff both must wear face coverings for the duration of the service.
  • Services that require either the customer or staff to remove face coverings, such as facials and shaves, are not permitted.
  • Customers may not be offered or consume food or drinks onsite.

Limited Hours for Certain Businesses

  • Restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars that serve sit-down dine-meals and non-essential retail businesses, must close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day. The last customer must be seated and finish their meal in time for the business to be completely closed by 10 p.m.

Face Covering Requirements

  • A face covering is required over both your nose and mouth whenever you leave your place of residence unless one of the limited exemptions applies.
  • The following individuals are exempt from face covering requirements:
    • Persons age two years or under, due to risk of suffocation.
  • Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. Such conditions are rare. Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others should wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.
  • Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
  • Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
  • Persons traveling in a car alone or solely with members of their household.
  • People who are working in an office or a room alone.
  • Persons who are actively eating or drinking provided that they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet away from persons who are not members of the same household or residence.
  • Persons who are outdoors and maintaining at least six feet of physical distancing from others not in their household. Such persons must have a face covering with them at all times and must put it on if they are within six feet of others who are not in their household.
  • Persons who are obtaining a medical treatment involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the medical treatment.
  • Workers who are required to wear respiratory protection.

Gatherings

  • Only outdoor gatherings are permitted.
  • A maximum of three households may gather.
  • A maximum of 15 people, within those three households, may gather.

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County Health chief Ferrer urged residents to wear face masks and avoid gatherings risking exposure/further spread. In a November 18 release, LA County's Dept. of Public Health stated:

If the five-day average of cases is 4,000 or more or hospitalizations are more than 1,750 per day, outdoor and indoor dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars will be prohibited and these businesses will only be able to offer pick-up and delivery services.

If the five-day average of cases is 4,500 or more or hospitalizations are more than 2,000 per day, a Safer at Home Order will be mandated for three weeks. The Order would only allow essential and emergency workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes. In addition, a 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew would be mandated, with essential workers exempt.

LA County's Dept of Public Health noted that if this County surge continues at the current rate of increase, by December 6, less than three weeks from today, daily new cases could reach 4,000.

I think we should each ask ourselves and those we care about to commit to making those changes that we know prevent a great deal of suffering and death from COVID-19," County Health Officer Ferrer stated. "Change any plans for indoor gatherings that involve people not in your households. Avoid all activities where there will be crowds and where it is hard to maintain a distance of six feet from others. Wear face coverings inside and outside if you are with people who are older or who have underlying health conditions. And make sure to follow all the rules at businesses, worksites and retail establishments.

The best way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to stay home and celebrate with people who live in your household. Connect with friends and family you don’t live with using all of the technology that allows us to see and hear each other from afar. If you do choose to gather, closely follow the guidance for private gatherings. Gather outdoors with no more than two other households, and no more than 15 people; wear face coverings unless eating or drinking and stay at least 6 feet apart. Limit the gathering to no more than two hours and do not share food or utensils.

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