| (November 24, 2020, 6:50 a.m.) -- Officials in the city of Pasadena, which (like Long Beach) has its own Health Depatment legally separate from LA County, are still deciding whether to follow, or pursue a somewhat different course, than the L.A. County Department of Public Health whose Public Health Officer, Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D.) signaled on Nov. 22 that she planned to ban outdoor dining at LB restaurants as a means of battling a surge in COVID-19 cases.
A Pasadena City Council meeting last night (Nov. 23) discussed but took no voteo on the matter, PasadenaNow.com says Pasadena officials are still deciding the matter (coverage here.. NBC4 notes Pasadena's City Council discussed the matter but took no action to stop ourdoor dining (NBC4 coverage here.. LB's Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, who like the City of Pasadena can act independently from LA County's Health Department, has issued an amended order prohibiting outdoor restaurant dining. [City Nov.. 23 evening release text] "The new Health Order prohibits on-site dining, including outdoor dining, at restaurants, brewpubs, breweries, bars, pubs, craft distilleries and wineries. Any service of food or beverages, including alcoholic beverages, where a customer remains on site to consume the food or beverages, is prohibited. Restaurants, which include brewpubs, breweries, bars, pubs, craft distilleries and wineries may operate for drive-thru, curbside, doorside or other outdoor pickup and delivery under certain conditions, which are specified in the Restaurant Protocol of the Health Order." To view LB's Nov. 23 order, click here. In a November 22 release, Davis said that "as Long Beach has substantially similar data patterns to Los Angeles County with numbers currently at alarming levels, the City will be aligning with the County to prohibit in-person dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars beginning Wednesday Nov. 25 for the next three weeks, at minimum, to slow the spread of transmission [of COVID-19] in Long Beach." Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who doesn't set city policy, acknowledged in a Nov. 23 briefing, that some of his friends, including business owners and their workers, would be hurt by a restaurant outdoor dining ban but declined to respond to calls from the Long Beach Restaurant Association, and others, to urge LB's Health Officer's to reconsider her initial statement (Nov. 22) that she will follow LA County's lead on a forthcoming outdoor dining ban. Garcia said one of his most important jobs is to ensure hospital beds/ventilators are available to those who may need them and to discourage gatherings that could spread the virus. Earlier in the day (Nov. 23) the L.A,. County Dept. of Public Health reported its highest daily case increase to date: 6,124 new COVID-19 cases in a single day. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, who previously signaled the possibility of return to a full lockdown similar to the "Safer at Home" March 2020 order, said her agency would work with the County Board of Supervisors to determine "additional safety modifications" including a "targeted Safer at Home" order focused on sectors and activities to be announced. Ferrer indicated the result would be less strict than the March "Safer at Home" lockdown but didn't offer details. "This is something that will require deliberation and conversation so that we can actually mark a path forward," she said, indicating she'd bring the item to Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow (Nov. 24.) Developing. [Scroll down for further.] |
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Earlier in the day (Nov. 23) the L.A,. County Dept. of Public Health reported its highest daily case increase to date: 6,124 new COVID-19 cases in a single day. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, who previously signaled the possibility of return to a full lockdown similar to the "Safer at Home" March 2020 order, said her agency would work with the County Board of Supervisors to determine "additional safety modifications" including a "targeted Safer at Home" order focused on sectors and activities to be announced. She indicated the result would be less strict than the March "Safer at Home" lockdown but didn't offer details. "This is something that will require deliberation and conversation so that we can actually mark a path forward," she said, indicating she'd bring the item to Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow (Nov. 24.)
During the City Nov. 23 news briefing, Mayor Garcia said that earlier in the day (Nov. 23) he took part in a virtual meeting with what he described as a "bipartisan group of Mayors" involving President-elect Biden and VP-elesct Harris. LBRFEPORT.com has learned that the virtual "meeting" was actually a media event involving multiple Mayors staged by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a privately operated membership group (Mayor's dues paid by LB taxpayers) advancing the views of its member Mayors) designed to show unity with the incoming Biden administration on a number of issues including COVID-19.
After the event, the US Conference of Mayors said in a release that responding to the health and economic crises it has created "will require a significant legislative package like the House has already passed, and we will continue to make the case for pandemic relief for families, small businesses, and cities." However Mayor Garcia went further in the Nov,. 23 City news briefing, assuring LB residents that cities, including Long Beach, could expect substantial sums from the Biden administration to deal with the effects of COVID-19. "We do expect, with this administration, a significant recovery package that will allow us to make some strategic and serious investments back into the city and into our economy." He said President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris concurred "that this plan is in the works." On Sunday Nov. 22, LB's Health Officer Dr, Davis announced plans to amend her current health order effective Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. to prohibit in-person dining in restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars. "As Long Beach has substantially similar data patterns to Los Angeles County with numbers currently at alarming levels, the City will be aligning with the County to prohibit in-person dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars beginning Wednesday Nov. 25 for the next three weeks, at minimum, to slow the spread of transmission [of COVID-19] in Long Beach." Dr. Davis' official Nov. 22 statement included the following: The unprecedented rise in COVID-19 transmission rates locally, regionally and across the state is alarming in Long Beach, over the past two weeks the number of new cases has increased 200%. These increases are occurring dramatically faster than the first surge experienced during the height of the summer when we were seeing hundreds of new cases daily, overwhelming our ability to appropriately contact trace and threatening hospital capacity. With the upcoming holidays, officials are concerned that these numbers will continue to surge, similarly impacting hospitalization capacity.
As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on Nov. 20 City of LB Health Officer Davis amended the LB's Safer at Home to parallel an LA County action imposing a 10 pm.-5 a.m. curfew "affecting all sectors, businesses and activities that are not designated an Essential Business, Essential Infrastructure or a Healthcare Operation. This includes: Lower-Risk Businesses (such as non-essential retail, limited services and activities, drive-in operations) and Higher-Risk Businesses (such as restaurants; gyms and fitness facilities; museums galleries and aquariums; personal services; nail salons; hair salons and barbershops; family entertainment centers)." LB's Health Dept. said its curfew "does not prevent people from leaving their home, lodging or temporary accommodation between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. to engage in critical activities, such as going to work, grocery shopping or walking a dog, as long as they do not engage in any interaction with (or otherwise gather with) any number of persons from any other household..."
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