The reopening announcements are coming fast and the rules are changing everywhere. Here’s what’s new for Long Beach, Los Angeles County and Orange County. These new rules are in addition to the reopenings announced weeks ago, which were mostly related to outdoor recreation.
Long Beach Health Department officials believe the city is in a good position to reopen some businesses based on the number of hospitalizations and new cases, Mayor Robert Garcia said during a press conference Wednesday. He reiterated that the city is reopening businesses as fast as the state allows.
Long Beach and Los Angeles County are aligned in what’s open and closed, but Orange County has been given more leeway by qualifying for a waiver from the state—something LA County and Long Beach have applied for but so far haven’t received.
For example, residents in Long Beach still won’t be allowed to dine inside restaurants or visit a hair salon. The city is, however, applying for permission to allow these businesses to open, something Garcia said could happen in the next few days.
The ground rules for slowing the spread of the coronavirus are the same: You still need to physically distance by 6 feet and wear a face covering when you expect to pass within 6 feet of people outside your household (even in Orange County). And businesses must establish and abide by disinfecting and physical distancing protocols before they open. You also still can’t gather with people outside our households (that’s not until Stage 3), so no parties and no beach hangouts.
What’s still closed statewide
- Personal services, like nail salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and fitness studios
- Bars, wineries, tasting rooms and lounges (unless they offer meals)
- Movie theaters, gaming, gambling, arcade venues, pro sports, indoor museums, gallery spaces and zoos
- Community centers, public pools, playgrounds and picnic areas
- Cultural ceremonies
- Nightclubs
- Concert venues
- Sports with live audiences
- Festivals
- Theme parks
- Hotels and lodging for leisure and tourism
Long Beach and Los Angeles County
What’s newly open:
- All retailers are allowed to reopen for in-person shopping, including shopping centers and malls. They must maintain physical distancing and keep the store at no more than 50% occupancy.
- In-person services at churches and other houses of worship are immediately allowed to resume—at 25% capacity only or a maximum of 100 people, whatever is smaller. See more of the state’s guidance here.
- Office-based businesses (although telework is still recommended)
- Drive-in movie theaters can resume operations, but with distancing between vehicles.
- Community pools in apartment complexes and homeowners associations can reopen.
What was already open:
- Most recreation: Beaches for active uses, trails and bike paths, dog parks, tennis courts
- Curbside pickup at retail stores
- Restaurants for take-out
- For a full list, go here.
What’s still closed (in addition to the statewide closures):
- Hair salons and barber shops
- Dine-in at restaurants
Orange County
What’s open (in addition to everything open in LA County):
- Hair salons and barber shops, as long as they follow state guidance
- Dine-in at restaurants, with safety protocols including limited capacity and physical distancing