The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services has issued an updated Health Order, effective Tuesday, January 26, 2021, allowing for further reopening of some industries and services, in accordance with California Governor Gavin Newsom lifting the Regional Stay at Home Order.
The Regional Safer at Home Order was lifted because it is projected that Southern California will have more than 15% hospital ICU capacity in the next four weeks. This allows counties to return to the color-coded tier system that allows for reopening based on case numbers per 100,000 population and the positivity rate among people who have taken COVID-19 tests. Long Beach is again aligned with the purple tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, or most restrictive tier, subject to certain restrictions to help limit further transmission of COVID-19.
Examples of major sectors that will now be permitted under the purple tier in Long Beach, subject to modifications including physical distancing and requiring face coverings, include:
- Outdoor in-person dining, subject to several restrictions preventing overcrowding, creating appropriate distancing and requiring masking. Requirements for in-person dining will include spacing tables eight feet apart to maintain a constant six-foot separation between tables; requiring masking at all times except when seated at a table eating or drinking; and strongly encouraging dining only with members of one’s household to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- Indoor personal care services including hair salons and barbershops; nail and tanning salons; esthetician, skin care and cosmetology services; electrology; body art professionals, tattoo parlors, microblading and permanent make-up; piercing shops; and massage therapy. Capacity limits are based on the ability to maintain six feet of distance between customers.
- Hotels, motels, lodging, shared rental units and other similar facilities for all types of travel, including tourism and individual travel.
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Limited services as defined by the State.
- Outdoor operations of museums, zoos and aquariums.
- Gatherings are limited to no more than 15 people from no more than three households, with gatherings allowed outdoors only.
- Standalone grocery establishments are limited to 50% of maximum capacity.
- Youth and adult recreational sports, subject to State guidelines.
- Retail businesses are limited to 25% of maximum capacity.
Places of worship may continue to operate outdoors. Gyms can continue outdoor operations, and indoor retail will continue, subject to capacity limitations. The 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew put into effect on Nov. 21 is rescinded. Full details, with specific requirements for each business sector, will be in the updated Health Order and need to be consulted before operations of the above sectors can resume.
Local hospitalization rates continue to be concerning. However, over the past two weeks, Long Beach-area hospitalizations have declined from 578 to 433 and the unadjusted intensive care unit (ICU) capacity has recently increased from 9% to 11% of ICU beds available. While the slowing of new cases, the reduction in hospitalizations and slowly increasing ICU capacity allows for the limited reopening of certain sectors, it is critical to remember that Long Beach continues to see hundreds of new cases each day and dozens of deaths each week.
The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Long Beach now stands at 46,833, an increase of 356 cases since Monday. Our daily average number of reported cases reached a peak on January 9 with 747 cases per day. Since then, the number of cases has declined to a daily average of 320.
The updated Health Order is being put in place by the City Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, and in accordance with the Emergency Powers granted to the City Manager through the Proclamation of Local Emergency. It is effective from 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26, until it is extended, rescinded or amended in writing by the Health Officer.
