Los Angeles County Enters Yellow Tier Of Re-Opening

Los Angeles County entered the yellow tier of re-opening on Thursday, allowing a slew of changes to allowed capacity for theme parks, bars and restaurants, according to Public Health officials.

The Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was updated Wednesday to reflect newly permitted activities allowed in the yellow tier, beginning Thursday, May 6 at 12:01 a.m.

Additional safety modifications are required or recommended for some sectors.

The modifications to the Health Officer Order include the following:

• Amusement/Theme Parks/Fairs can increase capacity to 35%. Fully vaccinated out of state visitors are permitted.
• Bars that do not provide meals can operate indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. Masking always required, except when eating or drinking; drinking and eating only while seated. Tables must be at least 6 feet apart and no counter seating/service. Maximum of 6 people from one household per table; if everyone in a group is vaccinated, 6 people can sit together from up to 6 different households. TV viewing is permitted. No live entertainment permitted indoors. Outdoors tables can have a maximum 8 persons per table from up to 3 different households; if everyone in a group is vaccinated, 8 people sit together from up to 8 different households. Live entertainment and TV viewing permitted outdoors. No counter seating/service.
• Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries that do not serve meals can increase indoors capacity to 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer. No live entertainment permitted indoors. These establishments will follow the same public health directives as bars for their outdoor areas.
• Restaurants can increase capacity for indoor dining to 50% capacity with continued safety modifications. There must be 6 feet distancing between tables. Maximum of 6 people from one household per table; if everyone in a group is vaccinated, 6 people can sit together from up to 6 different households
• Cardrooms/Racetracks/Satellite Wagering Facilities can operate indoors at 50% capacity. There must be 6-feet of distancing between tables and masks are always required. Food and beverages remain banned at the tables.
• Fitness Centers can operate indoors at 50% capacity. Masks are always required unless swimming.
• Movie Theatres can operate at 50% capacity. Reserved seating only where each group is seated with at least 6 feet of distance between any other groups (in all directions); capacity is limited to ensure that there is at least 6 feet of distance between groups. Seating sections can be established for fully vaccinated people without 6 feet distancing requirements provided there is 3 feet of distance between these sections and other seats in the theatre. Eating is allowed in only designated areas or in your reserved seat.
• Family Entertainment Centers can operate at 50% capacity, 75% if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination. Masks are required.
• Grocery and Retail Stores capacity remains limited to 75% with continued requirement for distancing of at least 6 feet between customers.
• Hair Salons, Barbershops and Personal Care Services can operate at 75% capacity with masks required, except for services where customers need to remove their masks. For services where customers must remove their face coverings, staff must wear a fitted N95 mask or a face covering with a face shield.
• Museums, Zoos and Aquariums can be open indoors at 75% capacity with safety modifications.
• Waterparks can operate at 40% capacity with safety modifications.
• Youth and Adult Recreational Sports and Community Sporting Events can apply to Public Health for approval for athletic events, tournaments or competitions that involve more than two teams or multiple individuals. Indoor moderate and high contact sports are permitted following Collegiate Sports Protocols, which includes regular testing.
• Live Event and Performance Indoor venues up to 1,500 guests can operate at a maximum of 25% capacity or 50% if guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination. Venues with 1,501 guests and above can operate at 10% capacity of 2,000 people; whichever is fewer or 50% capacity for tested or fully vaccinated guests.
• Live Event and Performance Outdoor venues can expand to 67% capacity with safety modifications.

On Wednesday, 5 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 26,875 cumulative cases having been reported in the valley over the past year, according to the LADPH. These cases include:

• 20,320 in the City of Santa Clarita* (+5)
• 47 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon
• 841 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
• 3,729 in Castaic*
• 68 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
• 1 in Placerita Canyon
• 15 in San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon
• 17 in unincorporated Sand Canyon
• 130 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
• 40 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
• 1,138 in Stevenson Ranch
• 336 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
• 193 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia

*As of Tuesday, May 4, public health officials have recorded 1,987 cumulative cases have been reported at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center, including 1,448 at the North County Correctional Facility. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.

In nearby Acton, there have been 470 cumulative cases, as well as 279 cases in Agua Dulce.

A total of 145 coronavirus deaths have been reported at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, with at least 291 COVID-19 deaths reported across the Santa Clarita Valley since March 2020.

To learn how to make an appointment, what verifications you will need to show at your vaccination appointment, and much more, visit the L.A. County Vaccination website (English) or Vacunate Los Angeles website (Spanish).

Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

See All Coronavirus Coverage: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map

Los Angeles County has met the threshold for the least restrictive yellow tier in the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. pic.twitter.com/UlnGFdqvZT

— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) May 6, 2021

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.