LOS ANGELES – With a decision still pending on possible reopening of indoor shopping malls and hair salons, Los Angeles County health officials Tuesday stepped up their campaign against public gatherings over the upcoming Labor Day holiday, despite downward coronavirus trends.
The county Department of Public Health reported another 45 deaths due to cornavirus on Tuesday, raising the overall total since the start of the pandemic to 5,830.
The county also announced another 840 new coronavirus cases, raising the number of cases since the pandemic began to 242,781.
Since the start of the pandemic, health officials have confirmed 3,642 coronavirus cases and 60 deaths in Palmdale; 2,946 cases and 40 deaths in Lancaster; 147 cases and 11 deaths in Quartz Hill; 194 cases and four deaths in Lake Los Angeles; 165 cases and no deaths in the Littlerock/Pearblossom, Juniper Hills areas; and 150 cases and one death in Sun Village. View the latest detailed report here.
According to the county, the seven-day average daily number of new cases has dropped to 1,300, continuing a steady decline. Health officials have been reporting downward trends in new cases, deaths and hospitalizations — with 1,057 people hospitalized with the virus as of Tuesday.
But while things are trending in the right direction, health officials continued what is likely to be a daily call for residents to avoid large gatherings over the upcoming holiday weekend, fearing a repeat of case spikes seen after the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends.
In a statement, the county Department of Public Health warned again that “it is important not to gather with people who aren’t part of your household as it puts you at risk for COVID-19.”
The county released a list of activities that are banned by the Health Officer Orders, “even if they feel safe.” Those activities included baby showers, gender-reveal parties, backyard barbecues for Labor Day, student study groups, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur dinners and “gathering at the beach with friends over the hot weekend.”
Health officials did not make any immediate announcements about the possibility of indoor shopping malls and hair salons being permitted to reopen. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Monday that such an announcement could be made Tuesday afternoon, but there were no immediate disclosures about changes in the Health Officer Orders.
Under new guidelines from the state, indoor shopping malls can reopen with restrictions, including a 25% capacity limit, as can indoor hair salons and barbershops, also with restrictions. But even though the state allows those businesses to reopen, individual counties can maintain tighter restrictions, based on the local health situation.
“As we look at the possibility of re-opening more businesses and, eventually, schools, there is a lot at stake,” county public health director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Increased numbers of people being around one another can result in more transmission of COVID-19, at a time where we need to be doubling down on our efforts to slow the spread. Our past weekend inspections demonstrated that 20% of restaurants and 17% of markets are still not in compliance with the Health Officer Orders. This does not help us get our numbers down.”
Hoping to address compliance issues at businesses, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion calling for the creation of trained worker “health councils,” which will monitor companies’ adherence to health orders.
“Health councils will strengthen our compliance system and allow concerned employees and community nonprofits to serve as additional ‘eyes and ears’ to help us contain the pandemic,” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said. “We all need to pitch in to protect public safety and fight COVID-19.”
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Claire says
Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, is a day of fasting from sundown to sundown.
Leah says
There’s no such thing as a Yom Kippur dinner you dolt! We fast on Yom Kippur!
Sarah says
Better watch-out, everyone. If you don’t earmark a place setting for Eric Garcetti at your labor day cookout? He’ll shut off your utilities, tow away your cars, throw you in jail –
Kalifornia Politburo says
Yay! Who wants a job being a hedge creeping spying putting honest people out of work snitch…..I mean a Health Council worker.
Loam says
The county released a list of activities that are banned by the Health Officer Orders, “even if they feel safe.” Those activities included baby showers, gender-reveal parties, backyard barbecues for Labor Day, student study groups, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur dinners and “gathering at the beach with friends over the hot weekend.”
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Anyone else have problems with an unelected government board deciding what social behaviors we can risk or not? I cannot have a backyard BBQ EVEN IF I FEEL IT IS SAFE? What if everyone gets tested before hand, wears masks, and I mark out 6 feet spaces in my backyard?
And I cannot decide on the risk of seeing another person for a study group? Do I need their permission to date another human??? Do I need to register if I want to procreate?
It’s very disturbing when that group decides on what human interaction is worth a certain risk or not.
tsparky says
We originally planned to be camping at Pismo beach for the Labor day weekend. In it’s infinite wisdom, California cancelled the reservations a week ago for safety. Campsites there are 50ft apart. The beach is so huge that I have never had anyone within 50-100ft while sitting on the sand. There is no way that camping is any kind of risk for contracting the disease. So instead, like what everyone else is doing this weekend because of the lockdown, we will be getting together for a BBQ. Since March, I have seen more parties in the AV every weekend that what we got in a year.
Remember, wear a mask and don’t get your hair done inside a salon, Just like Nancy Peloci.
Loam says
“So instead, like what everyone else is doing this weekend because of the lockdown, we will be getting together for a BBQ.”
Yes, I don’t think that government officials understand that their actions are fighting human nature and thus are having an opposite effect that what they want. If we are not allowed to operate in open society with safety controls, we are going to operate in private society, likely with limited or no controls.
Instead of closing down, society needs to teach how to operate within safety controls. The beach is a great example. Outdoors with sun and lots of breezes is very health (virus-wise), as long as people practice safe distancing. And that’s the key – practice. We all need to learn to live with the virus and not hide in holes.