City Of South Gate: L.A. County Health Officer Order Updated

Press release from the City of South Gate:

March 15, 2021

The Los Angeles County Health Officer Order has been updated and aligns closely with the State’s re-opening framework allowed in the red tier.  Additional safety modifications are required or recommended for certain sectors. 

Effective Monday, March 15 at 12:01 a.m., the following are permitted:

1. Museum, Zoos and Aquariums can open indoors at 25% capacity.
2. Gyms, Fitness Centers, Yoga and Dance Studios can open indoors at 10% capacity with masking requirement for all indoor activities.
3. Movie Theatres can open indoors at 25% capacity with reserved seating only where each group is seated with at least 6 feet of distance in all directions between any other groups.
4. Retail and Personal Care Services can increase capacity to 50% with masking required at all times and for all services.
5. Restaurants can open indoors at 25% max capacity under the following conditions: eight feet distancing between tables; one household per indoor table with a limit of six people; the HVAC system is in good working order and has been evaluated, and to the maximum extent possible ventilation has been increased. Public Health strongly recommends that all restaurant employees interacting with customers indoors are provided with additional masking protection (above the currently required face shield over face masks); this can be fit tested N95 masks, KN95 masks, or double masks, in addition to the required face shield.  Public Health also strongly recommends that all employees working indoors are informed about and offered opportunities to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Outdoor dining can accommodate up to six people per table from three different households.
6. Indoor Shopping Malls can increase capacity to 50% with common areas remaining closed; food courts can open at 25% capacity adhering to the restaurant guidance for indoor dining.
7. Institutes of Higher Education can re-open all permitted activities with required safety modifications except for residential housing which remains under current restrictions for the Spring semester.
8. Schools are permitted to re-open for in-person instruction for students in grades 7-12 adhering to all state and county directives.
9. Private gatherings can occur indoors with up to three separate households, with masking and distancing required at all times.  People who are fully vaccinated can gather in small numbers indoors with other people who are fully vaccinated without required masking and distancing. 

It is critical that directives and infection protocols are followed to minimize COVID-19 spread as much as possible. All operators of businesses that are allowed to reopen are required to implement all Public Health protocols before reopening to ensure compliance and to avoid citations, fines and possible closure.

Public Health's compliance team continues to visit businesses across the County every day. Inspectors review compliance with the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order, identify violations, and may issue citations for businesses out of compliance and, unfortunately, an order to close to those who refuse to or are unable to take the steps required to protect their workforce and community.

For more information, click here.

This press release was produced by the City of South Gate. The views expressed are the author's own.