L.A. County outlines new private-gathering guidelines
Henry Mayo reports 3 new deaths related to COVID-19
Private gatherings of certain sizes will be permitted beginning Thursday in Los Angeles County, while large gatherings — excluding people in houses of worship or at public protests — remain prohibited, L.A. County Public Health officials said Wednesday.
The change comes after state officials changed their COVID-19 guidelines last week in relation to gatherings. Beginning Thursday, gatherings of three or fewer households are allowed, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Public Health Department.
“It is recommended that, if you do gather with two other households, you do so with the same households each time, creating a quasi-bubble,” said Ferrer. “That can reduce the risk of spreading.”
Ferrer again recommended people wear masks during the gatherings and that, if they feel ill, they should not participate in these group activities.
Additionally, Ferrer warned that, if people went to celebrate with people outside their household, they should be aware they could have been exposed to the coronavirus.
She reminded people the virus can spread, even between people who are not showing any symptoms at the time.
“If you attended one of these gatherings, it’s very important that you stay away from other people, especially from those at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days from your exposure.”
Since the county has allowed schools to return students to campus that are considered “high-need,” such as special education and English learners, 837 schools have opted to offer in-person education to these students, totaling 17,000 students and 11,000 staff.
These numbers have included some Santa Clarita Valley schools.
In total, 62 applications for waivers for TK-2 students to return to campus have been received by the county. Thirty schools per week will be allowed once the county decides that the general population is able to return at those specific school sites.
Within the past day, Los Angeles County has recorded 22 deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 6,812. Of those, five people were older than 80, seven were 65-75, five were 50-64, one was 30-49 and one was between the ages of 18 and 29.
Neither the person who died in the 18-29 age range nor the person who died in the 30-49 age range had underlying conditions.
In the past day, the county reported 1,329 new cases, for a total of 285,016.
The Santa Clarita Valley saw an increase of 58 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of local cases to 6,659.
On Wednesday, Henry Mayo Newhall hospital officials reported three additional deaths due to COVID-19 since Monday. That brings the total number of deaths at the hospital due to complications with the disease to 29.
Throughout all of the SCV, there have been a total of 67 COVID-19 related deaths.
Since the onset of the outbreak 9,238 people have been tested, with 964 positives and 10,911 negatives at the hospital. Hospital officials have noted some people are tested twice, explaining the discrepancy in the numbers.
A total of 30 tests are still pending results, 11 people are hospitalized, and 280 people have been discharged since March.
The number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and those at Pitchess Detention Center, broken down into region, are as follows:
City of Santa Clarita: 3,864 Unincorporated — Acton: 78 Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 30
Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 10
Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 158
Unincorporated — Castaic: 2,132 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center; exact number unavailable)
Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 4
Unincorporated — Newhall: 14
Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 0
Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/ Bouquet Canyon: 0
Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 7
Unincorporated — Saugus: 28
Unincorporated — Saugus/ Canyon Country: 10
Unincorporated — Stevenson Ranch: 185
Unincorporated — Val Verde: 88
Unincorporated — Valencia: 51