L.A. County moves into the orange tier Monday. Here’s what will change

Los Angeles County on Monday will relax more restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus when it moves into the orange tier, the second-most-lenient of the state’s four-phase reopening blueprint.

Still, it’s important for people to continue to take precautions, especially as they start participating in more activities outside their homes, officials said.

“Our numbers have improved dramatically, but we cannot let up,” Barbara Ferrer, the county public health director, said in a statement. “While we are making good progress with vaccination efforts, we have about a dozen more weeks before we can expect to reach 80% vaccine coverage for people 16 and older.”

California

Scenes of a reemerging California: L.A. County and Orange County enter orange tier

County officials say moving to a less restrictive category in California’s reopening blueprint is a hard-fought gain in the battle against COVID-19.

April 2, 2021

Here’s what will change Monday when L.A. County’s new rules take effect:

• Bars that don’t serve food will be permitted to reopen outdoors only provided they close at 10 p.m., space tables eight feet apart and limit them to six people from up to three different households. Patrons will be limited to 90-minute visits and required to wear face coverings when they’re not eating or drinking, and to eat or drink only when they are seated. Counter seating and live entertainment remain prohibited.

• Breweries, wineries and distilleries that don’t serve meals can reopen indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer, provided that they follow the same restrictions as bars and also require reservations for indoor seating, refrain from television viewing indoors and limit indoor tables to six people from the same household.

• Bowling alleys, indoor card rooms and indoor pools can reopen at up to 25% capacity.
  
• Grocery and retail stores, hair salons, barbershops and personal care services will be permitted to raise capacity from 50% to 75%, although the public health department said it is strongly recommending that grocery stores continue to operate at 50% capacity until April 15 to allow more workers to be vaccinated, according to a news release.
  
• Other establishments also can raise their capacity, including houses of worship, museums, zoos and aquariums (from 25% to 50%); restaurants and movie theaters (from 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer, to 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer); and indoor gyms and yoga studios (from 10% to 25%).
  
• Amusement parks, which were permitted to reopen Thursday, as of Monday can raise their capacity from 15% to 25%.
  
• Outdoor sports and live performances, which were permitted to allow limited fan attendance starting Thursday, as of Monday can increase capacity from 20% to 33%.

• Youth and adult recreational sports leagues can apply to the public health department for approval for athletic events, competitions or tournaments involving more than two teams.