City reminds public to follow safety guidelines at parks
Santa Clarita officials are reminding the public to follow safety measures aimed at preventing transmission of COVID-19 when visiting city parks and facilities.
Residents are expected to wear face masks and practice physical distancing at these locations as the city and the rest of Los Angeles County continue the battle against the coronavirus crisis and as cases and hospitalizations rise locally.
“We are in the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic with officials reporting that one person is dying from coronavirus complications in L.A. County every eight minutes,” Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda said in a prepared statement.
On Friday, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its highest number of hospitalizations since the onset of the pandemic with 104, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody. The county also saw its deadliest day with 318 COVID-19-related deaths reported, per Public Health officials.
“Locally, it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to do our part for the sake of our own health and that of our family, friends and neighbors,” added Miranda. “Something as simple as wearing a face covering and keeping a safe distance from others everywhere we go is the bare minimum each of us should be doing.”
The current public health officer order in L.A. County allows for outdoor recreational activity among those in the same household unit and as long as each person follows protocols like wearing masks and properly distancing. Team sports and any gatherings of people from more than one household are prohibited.
Earlier in December, the county updated its health officer order to reflect that playgrounds can now reopen, following the same move from the state. The city was then able to allow access to city playgrounds. While playgrounds remain open at city parks, residents are asked to avoid crowded areas where individuals from outside their household are present, city officials said.