PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – Today the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) issued an updated Health Order, now in effect, to align with the new Los Angeles County Health Order requiring masking in all public transit and indoor public transportation hubs.

The updated Health Order requires masking for everyone 2 years of age and older, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, on public transit within the city. This includes wearing masks on:

• Commuter trains
• Buses
• Taxis and ride-shares

Masking continues to be required in indoor public transportation hubs including:

• Airport and bus terminals
• Train stations
• Seaport or other indoor port terminals
• Any other indoor area that serves as a transportation hub

As of April 28, 2022, the COVID-19 seven-day case rate is 72.8 per 100,000 people which indicates low levels of transmission per CDC Community Levels. However, the case and positivity rates in Long Beach are currently increasing due to the more easily transmitted BA.2 subvariant and the risk of COVID-19 infection for those who are not or cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 continues to remain high.

At this time, we must continue to require community-level prevention strategies, including masking on public transit and in transportation hubs, to protect the most vulnerable in high-risk settings and safeguard the health care system. Traveling on public conveyances increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing people in close contact with people outside their households, often for prolonged periods, and often in crowded settings. When people wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over their nose and mouth in indoor travel or public transportation settings, they protect themselves and those around them and help keep travel and public transportation safer for everyone.

The Health Department strongly recommends that people continue to follow other common-sense COVID-19 safety strategies, such as staying home when sick; frequent hand washing; testing for COVID-19 when in contact with someone who has the virus or when experiencing any COVID-like symptoms; and becoming vaccinated and boosted when eligible.

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity and @LBHealthDept on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. People may also visit longbeach.gov/COVID19data for up-to-date information regarding cases and vaccines in Long Beach.

Media inquiries can be directed to Jennifer Rice Epstein, Public Affairs Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, at 562.441.3590 or Jennifer.RiceEpstein@longbeach.gov.