The City of Pasadena and Los Angeles County have met the threshold for the less restrictive orange tier in the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
By News Desk
L.A. County’s adjusted case rate dropped from 3.7 new cases per 100,000 people to 3.1 new cases per 100,000 people. The test positivity rate dropped from 1.8% to 1.5% and in areas with the fewest health affirming resources, L.A. County’s test positivity rate dropped from 2.5% to 2.1%.
On Monday, April 5, 12:01 am., the following activities will be permitted to occur in strict adherence with the updated health protocols (assuming case numbers do not increase):
- Bars that do not provide meals will be allowed to open outdoors with distancing, masking and infection control safety measures. Indoor operations are not permitted. Masks are required except when people are eating or drinking. There can be no counter seating and people can eat or drink only when they are seated. Tables must be 8 feet apart, with a maximum of 6 people from up to 3 different households. There can be no live entertainment, television is permitted, and hours of operations are from 11:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
- Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries that do not serve meals can remain open outdoors and can also open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. These establishments will follow the same public health directives as bars for their outdoor areas, however, there are additional requirements for indoor spaces: reservations are required for indoor seating, there is a maximum of 6 people per table and they must be from the same household, and there is no live entertainment or television viewing indoors.
- Restaurants can increase capacity for indoor dining to 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is less with continued safety modifications.
- Cardrooms can operate indoors at 25% capacity. There must be 8-feet of distancing between tables and masks are always required. Food and beverages remain banned from card tables.
- Places of Worship can hold services indoors at 50% capacity.
- Fitness Centers can operate indoors at 25% capacity and indoor pools can now re-open. Masks are always required unless swimming.
- Movie Theatres can increase capacity to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less. Seats must be reserved, and each group must have 6 feet of distance from other groups in all directions. Eating is allowed in only designated areas or in your reserved seat.
- Family Entertainment Centers can open indoors at 25% capacity for distanced activities, such as bowling or escape rooms. Masks remain required.
- Grocery and Retail Stores can increase capacity to 75%, although Public Health strongly recommends grocery stores remain at 50% capacity until April 15 to allow as many grocery store workers as possible get vaccinated.
- Hair Salons, Barbershops and Personal Care Services can increase capacity to 75% with masks required, except for services where customers need to remove their masks. For services where customers must remove their face coverings, staff must wear a fitted N95 or a mask with a face shield.
- Museums, Zoos and Aquariums can be open indoors at 50% capacity.
- Youth and Adult Recreational Sports can apply to Public Health for approval for athletic events, tournaments or competitions that involve more than two teams or multiple individuals.
Caution
Continued adherence to public health COVID-19 prevention measures such as wearing masks, washing hands and physical distancing can help keep cases low and prevent another surge, particularly as more indoor activities are permitted, more infectious variants become prevalent, and travel increases over spring break and the holidays.
As of March 24, the County has administered close to 4 million doses of vaccine, with more than 1.2 million people receiving a second dose.
There are almost 5.5 million residents 16 and older that still need to be vaccinated.
Vaccinations
Los Angeles County will expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine starting this Thursday, April 1, for County residents 50 through 64 years old. Additionally, on April 15, vaccines will become available to any resident in Los Angeles County who is 16 and older.
Changes will be made to the MyTurn eligibility criteria starting tomorrow to allow residents 50 through 64 years old to begin to schedule appointments. While the County received more vaccine doses this week, there are not yet enough doses to vaccinate everyone that is eligible, so we need to ask for patience until supply increases.
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