A revised Health Officer Order from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health further eases restrictions on certain businesses like bars, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlors and other activities, as it continues to move the County of Los Angeles into Stage 3 of California’s Pandemic Resilience Roadmap. The revised June 18 Health Officer Order Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community for Control of COVID-19 is available on the LA County Public Health website at http://ph.lacounty.gov/coronavirus.
The revised Order on June 18 permits certain businesses to open on Friday, June 19, 2020 with infection control, face coverings, and social (physical) distancing requirements, such as:
- Nail salons;
- Cosmetology services;
- Spas offering aesthetic and massage services;
- Tattoo and piercing shops;
- Tanning salons;
- Casinos, card rooms and satellite wagering sites; and
- Bars and wineries not anchored to food services.
The Order permits businesses in the City of West Hollywood that fall within these categories to begin operating once LA County Public Health COVID-19 protocols have been met. The LA County Order also implements an expanded face covering requirement throughout LA County requiring all persons to wear a cloth face covering over both their nose and mouth whenever they leave their place of residence and/or can be in contact with or walking near or past others who are non-household members in both public and private places, whether indoors or outdoors. This includes wearing a cloth face covering when patronizing a business. This requirement has already been in place within the City of West Hollywood per Emergency Executive Order.
The revised June 18 LA County Public Health Order follows a revised June 11 Order announcing gyms, museums, hotels, and other sectors to reopen; a May 29 Order to announce that hair salons and barbershops may reopen and that in-person dining in restaurants may resume with safeguards; and a revised May 26 Order announcing standards for safe and swift reopening to permit a variety of businesses to resume. LA County Public Health also previously approved the reopening of office worksites while encouraging employees to work from home when possible, noting that businesses must meet protocols for safe reopening.
Businesses that are reopening should visit the LA County Public Health website to download the revised Health Officer Order, and to download detailed Protocols, by sector, to ensure adherence to Public Health guidelines.
The following types of businesses and organizations remain closed or prohibited at this time in accordance with the LA County Public Health Order: live performance theaters, entertainment centers, concert halls and venues, stadiums, arenas, theme parks, lounges and nightclubs, hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas not located on a residential property, and festivals. In addition, public and private gatherings of people outside of a single household unit are not permitted except for protests and faith-based services.
The City of West Hollywood, in adhering to West Hollywood Municipal Code and to LA County Public Health Orders, will permit lounges and nightclubs to operate as bars if doing so in compliance with protocols for bars established in the Health Order. No live entertainment, acts, or dancing will be permitted; customers must be seated when ordering and consuming alcohol. Permitted occupancy for bars, according to protocols, is set at 50 percent of maximum occupancy and social (physical) distancing and face covering requirements must be met. LA County protocols for bars are posted at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_Bars.pdf.
The City of West Hollywood has declared a local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. While Los Angeles County is allowing for a phased reopening of some businesses and activities, coronavirus transmission and COVID-19 disease remain a serious risk.
When in public, community members should maintain your space with social (physical) distancing of at least six feet, and cover your face to adhere to City requirements for the use of face coverings. Face coverings are not required for young children under two-years-old; children between two- and eight-years-old should only wear face coverings with adult supervision; and people with certain medical conditions are exempt from this requirement. Public Health officials recommend cloth face coverings so that medical-grade and N95 masks may be prioritized in the supply chain for healthcare workers and first responders.
The City encourages residents to remain home as much as is practical and limit close contact with others outside of a household. Additionally, people 65 years old or older and all people of any age with underlying health conditions should remain at home whenever possible; people in these categories should only leave their residences to seek medical care, exercise, or obtain food or other necessities.
West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to the public and has suspended all in-person transactions. Most public City buildings, playgrounds, and facilities remain closed. City Hall remains accessible for business and essential services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org.
