UPDATE: Los Angeles county will reopen retail stores in accordance with the state lifting the ban on in-person shopping statewide, according to broadcast reports. Officially, it is still unclear what the county will do.
Manhattan Beach took the lead, aggressively moving to re-open stores and revitalize the local economy. Mayor Pro Tem Suzanne Hadley spoke to KABC’s Randy Wang on the John Phillips Show just as the state announced the lifting of the ban. Listen here:
Supervisor Janice Hahn tweeted today:
“All retail stores statewide will now be able to reopen for in-store shopping under the same rules Target and Walmart have been able to operate under throughout this crisis.” Hahn followed with this tweet: “As we continue to battle this virus, this policy will make all the difference to the small businesses in our communities that are struggling to survive this crisis.”
There may be light at the end of the lockdown– unless Barbara Ferrer, PhD and other county supes nix it…
Read the latest from our news partner KTLA at ktla.com/news
California says churches can resume in-person services but the congregations will be limited to less than 100 and worshippers should wear masks, avoid sharing prayer books and skip the collection plate. The state Department of Public Health released a framework Monday for county health officials to permit houses of worship to reopen. Most have been limited to online and remote services since March, when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order took effect to slow the spread of the coronavirus. With progress being made, Newsom has been relaxing those restrictions for restaurants, stores and other businesses. Several thousand churches had vowed to defy Newsom’s order on May 31, which is Pentacost Sunday, a major holiday for many Christians.
Jim Roope, Westwood One News
Newly released guidelines from the State of California on religious services and funerals from:
https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-places-of-worship.pdf
Considerations for Places of Worship
•Discontinue offering self-service food and beverages.
Do not hold potlucks or similar family-style eating and drinking events that increase the risk of cross contamination. If food and beverages must be served, provide items in single-serve, disposable containers whenever possible. Employees or volunteers serving food should wash hands frequently and wear disposable gloves and face coverings.
•Strongly consider discontinuing singing, group recitation, and other practices and performances where there is increased likelihood for transmission from contaminated exhaled droplets. Modify practices such as limiting the number people reciting or singing, ensuring physical distancing greater than six feet between people, or opt to celebrate these practices outside with physical distancing, etc., if these practices cannot be discontinued.
•Consider modifying practices that are specific to particular faith traditions that might encourage the spread of COVID-19. Examples are discontinuing kissing of ritual objects, allowing rites to be performed by fewer people, avoiding the use of a common cup, offering communion in the hand instead of on the tongue, providing pre-packed communion items on chairs prior to service, etc., in accordance with CDC guidelines.
Considerations for Funerals
•Consider reduced visitor capacity and stagger visitation times at funerals, wakes, etc., if possible.
Follow all cleaning and disinfection measures as described in this guidance.
Whenever possible, remind visitors to maintain physical distance from each other, from staff and volunteers, and from the deceased.
•Consider modifying religious or cultural practices when washing or shrouding bodies of those who have died from COVID-19, in accordance with guidance from CDPHand the CDC. If washing the body or shrouding are important religious or cultural practices, work with funeral home staff and families to reduce exposure as much as possible. All people participating in these activities must wear disposable gloves and if there will be splashing of fluids, people must use additional protective equipment including protection for the eyes, nose, and mouth, such as face shields.
•Consult and comply with local guidance regarding limits on gathering sizes, travel, holding funerals for those who died from COVID-19, etc.
•Consider other recommendations and modifications of services related to places of worship outlined above, as applicable for funeral services
