PRESS RELEASE
City of Long Beach
Public Information Office
411 W. Ocean Blvd,
Long Beach, CA 90802
www.longbeach.gov
8/13/2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPress Release # 081320
Subject:
Long Beach Issues Amended Health Order, Protocols
New orders address dining, youth sports, K-12 schools and licensed health care facilities
Contact:
City of Long Beach Joint Information Center
562.570.NEWS
jic@longbeach.gov
562.570.NEWS
jic@longbeach.gov
Long Beach, CA - Today, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) issued a revised health order with updated protocols addressing youth sports leagues, dine-in restaurants, golf and reopening K-12 schools. The Health Department also issued an amendment to the Licensed Congregate Health Care Facilities Order.
“Keeping residents safe is our highest priority during this health emergency,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We continue to be guided by science and data in determining how and whether to allow activities.”
The revised Health Order reiterates that live entertainment, including, but not limited to, live music and live performances continues to be prohibited. People can view the full order online.
Dine-In Protocols
The updated Dine-In Restaurant Protocols (Appendix H) of the Health Order adds language to make clear that live entertainment continues to be prohibited, per the State order. Establishments that serve full meals must discontinue live entertainment until these types of activities are allowed to resume.
Protocols for Youth Sports Leagues
The Health Department also has issued Protocols for Youth Sports Leagues (Appendix W), in alignment with State guidance and Los Angeles County protocols. Youth sports will be allowed outdoors only. Activities such as training and conditioning are allowed, however all youth sporting events, including tournaments and competitions, are prohibited at this time. Practice games among players of the same team are allowed for non-contact sports (including singles tennis, golf, some track and field events, cheerleading without stunts, weightlifting, gymnastics, diving, rowing or sailing alone and swimming) so long as the minimum eight-foot distance is observed. Contact sports (including basketball, baseball, soccer, water polo, full-contact and flag football, roller derby, rugby, wrestling, hockey, lacrosse and rowing with a team) cannot conduct practice games and will need to make adjustments to the way practices are traditionally conducted. At all times, players, coaches and spectators are required to wear a face covering that covers the nose and the mouth, except while swimming, showering, eating, drinking or engaging in solo physical activity. Detailed requirements related to equipment sharing, screening athletes, reporting cases and more are listed in the document.
Long Beach Reopening Protocols for K-12 Schools
All K-12 schools in Los Angeles County, including in the City of Long Beach, may open only for remote learning until the County is off the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days. The Health Department has issued a staged approach to enable schools to reopen safely through its Long Beach Reopening Protocols for K-12 Schools (Appendix X1) and the COVID-19 Exposure Management Plan: Protocol for K-12 Schools (Appendix X2) once the County is off the Monitoring List. The Reopening Protocols for K-12 schools allows public and private schools and school-based programs in Long Beach to begin planning for a safe return to campus, once allowed. The protocols include workplace policies and practices to protect employee and student health; measures to ensure physical distancing; measures to ensure infection control; communication with employees, students, families of students, and the public; and measures to ensure equitable access to critical services.
Updated Guidelines for Long-Term Care Facilities
Finally, the Health Department has issued an amendment to the Health Order which will allow for the reinstatement of communal dining and expanded visitation, only upon careful review and approval by the Health Department. Facilities may be allowed to expand their visitation policy and are subject to the City’s “Guidelines for Preventing and Managing COVID-19 in Skilled Nursing Facilities.” Facilities may be eligible to resume communal dining and limited group activities only after the facility has had no new onset of COVID-19 cases for 14 additional days and upon review and approval of the Health Department. Facilities may be eligible to reinstate visitation after the facility successfully re-established limited communal dining and group activities without any new onset of COVID-19 cases for 14 additional days after communal dining has been implemented and upon review and approval of the Health Department. Prior to entering certain licensed congregate health care facilities, any individual who is not a patient, existing resident or new resident should conduct a self-evaluation and temperature screening for symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals with symptoms such as respiratory illness or fever should not enter these facilities because doing so is likely to impair efforts at mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
As of August 13, 2020, there have been at least 9,425 positive cases of COVID-19 and 188 deaths reported in Long Beach, of which 1,269 positive cases and 127 deaths are associated with long-term care facilities.
This action was put in place by the City Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, and in accordance with the Emergency Powers granted to the City Manager through the Proclamation of Local Emergency. It is effective immediately on August 13, 2020, and will continue until it is extended, rescinded or amended in writing by the Health Officer.
For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep its residents safe, visit: longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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“Keeping residents safe is our highest priority during this health emergency,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We continue to be guided by science and data in determining how and whether to allow activities.”
The revised Health Order reiterates that live entertainment, including, but not limited to, live music and live performances continues to be prohibited. People can view the full order online.
Dine-In Protocols
The updated Dine-In Restaurant Protocols (Appendix H) of the Health Order adds language to make clear that live entertainment continues to be prohibited, per the State order. Establishments that serve full meals must discontinue live entertainment until these types of activities are allowed to resume.
Protocols for Youth Sports Leagues
The Health Department also has issued Protocols for Youth Sports Leagues (Appendix W), in alignment with State guidance and Los Angeles County protocols. Youth sports will be allowed outdoors only. Activities such as training and conditioning are allowed, however all youth sporting events, including tournaments and competitions, are prohibited at this time. Practice games among players of the same team are allowed for non-contact sports (including singles tennis, golf, some track and field events, cheerleading without stunts, weightlifting, gymnastics, diving, rowing or sailing alone and swimming) so long as the minimum eight-foot distance is observed. Contact sports (including basketball, baseball, soccer, water polo, full-contact and flag football, roller derby, rugby, wrestling, hockey, lacrosse and rowing with a team) cannot conduct practice games and will need to make adjustments to the way practices are traditionally conducted. At all times, players, coaches and spectators are required to wear a face covering that covers the nose and the mouth, except while swimming, showering, eating, drinking or engaging in solo physical activity. Detailed requirements related to equipment sharing, screening athletes, reporting cases and more are listed in the document.
Long Beach Reopening Protocols for K-12 Schools
All K-12 schools in Los Angeles County, including in the City of Long Beach, may open only for remote learning until the County is off the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days. The Health Department has issued a staged approach to enable schools to reopen safely through its Long Beach Reopening Protocols for K-12 Schools (Appendix X1) and the COVID-19 Exposure Management Plan: Protocol for K-12 Schools (Appendix X2) once the County is off the Monitoring List. The Reopening Protocols for K-12 schools allows public and private schools and school-based programs in Long Beach to begin planning for a safe return to campus, once allowed. The protocols include workplace policies and practices to protect employee and student health; measures to ensure physical distancing; measures to ensure infection control; communication with employees, students, families of students, and the public; and measures to ensure equitable access to critical services.
Updated Guidelines for Long-Term Care Facilities
Finally, the Health Department has issued an amendment to the Health Order which will allow for the reinstatement of communal dining and expanded visitation, only upon careful review and approval by the Health Department. Facilities may be allowed to expand their visitation policy and are subject to the City’s “Guidelines for Preventing and Managing COVID-19 in Skilled Nursing Facilities.” Facilities may be eligible to resume communal dining and limited group activities only after the facility has had no new onset of COVID-19 cases for 14 additional days and upon review and approval of the Health Department. Facilities may be eligible to reinstate visitation after the facility successfully re-established limited communal dining and group activities without any new onset of COVID-19 cases for 14 additional days after communal dining has been implemented and upon review and approval of the Health Department. Prior to entering certain licensed congregate health care facilities, any individual who is not a patient, existing resident or new resident should conduct a self-evaluation and temperature screening for symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals with symptoms such as respiratory illness or fever should not enter these facilities because doing so is likely to impair efforts at mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
As of August 13, 2020, there have been at least 9,425 positive cases of COVID-19 and 188 deaths reported in Long Beach, of which 1,269 positive cases and 127 deaths are associated with long-term care facilities.
This action was put in place by the City Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, and in accordance with the Emergency Powers granted to the City Manager through the Proclamation of Local Emergency. It is effective immediately on August 13, 2020, and will continue until it is extended, rescinded or amended in writing by the Health Officer.
For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep its residents safe, visit: longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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