Businesses reopening 1 year after closure order

First L.A. County health officer order related to pandemic was issued March 16, 2020

Los Angeles County moved into the red tier Monday, allowing businesses to reopen one day before the anniversary of the first COVID-19 health officer order that forced businesses deemed non-essential to close.

Movie theaters, indoor dining at restaurants and gyms were all permitted to reopen for business Monday with modifications, as COVID-19 cases continue to decline and vaccination efforts increased in the county.

“For the first time since the state created the blueprint for a safer economy last summer, L.A. County has moved from the most restrictive purple tier to the red tier,” Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said during a news conference Monday.

Nearly two weeks after L.A. County declared a state of emergency last year, the first COVID19-related health officer order was issued March 16, which prohibited the gatherings of large crowds and closed businesses where patrons were in close contact with one another, including gyms and dine-in restaurants.

Almost a year later, businesses and schools are able to reopen, if they adhere to mandatory face coverings, social distancing and capacity limitations.

▪ Museum, zoos and aquariums can open indoors at 25% capacity.

▪ Gyms, fitness centers, yoga and dance studios can open indoors at 10% capacity.

▪ Movie theaters can open indoors at 25% capacity with reserved seating.

▪ Retail and personal care services can increase capacity to 50%.

▪ Restaurants can open indoors at 25% max capacity.

▪ Indoor shopping malls can increase capacity to 50% and food courts can open at 25% capacity.

▪ Institutes of higher education can reopen all permitted activities with

required safety modifications, except for residential housing, which remains under current restrictions for the spring semester.

▪ Schools are permitted to reopen for in-person instruction for students in grades 7-12 adhering to all state and county directives.

Vaccine eligibility also expanded Monday to include those aged 16-64 with underlying health conditions and essential workers in public transit and janitorial work. Those in this sector will be required to bring documentation that verifies a serious medical condition.

Documentation accepted will include a letter from health care providers, behavioral health providers or county-ran health care agencies, or a signed attestation stating the criteria of a high-risk medical condition or disability is met.

Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Monday, adding a lag in case reporting due to weekend delays:

▪ Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 422

▪ Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,210,633

▪ New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 6

▪ Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 22,475

▪ Hospitalizations countywide: 893, 28% of whom are in the ICU

▪ Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of March 10: 6, with 1,171 discharged since the onset of the pandemic

▪ COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 12

▪ Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 26,764

▪ Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV: 279

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: 19,636

▪ Unincorporated — Acton: 456

▪ Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 260

▪ Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 45

▪ Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 809

▪ Unincorporated — Castaic: 3,646 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center; exact number unavailable)

▪ Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 40

▪ Unincorporated — Newhall: 66

▪ Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 1

▪ Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 15

▪ Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 17

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus: 132

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus/ Canyon Country: 39

▪ Unincorporated — Stevenson Ranch: 1,092

▪ Unincorporated — Val Verde: 325

▪ Unincorporated — Valencia: 185