Bottega Louie in West Hollywood is back. The restaurant states that it closed for a few weeks as a safety measure against COVID Delta as cases continue to surge in Southern California.
“We open on Thursday, July 29,” reads a post on their website. “Please click below for our latest menu and hours of operation. We are open daily with Al Fresco Dining available. Our Downtown Los Angeles location is still temporarily closed. During this time, we will be working on perfecting new and old recipes while creating the best environment for to experience on your next visit. We hope to see you soon!”
The abrupt closure incited rumors throughout the community. Some said they were short on staff and had to close all operations, because people don’t want to go back to work when they make more on unemployment benefits.
Some said, there was a COVID-19 infection and they shut the place down, so they didn’t have to report it to health officials.
Another rumor floating around is that an actual COVID outbreak infected the entire staff with COVID-19 and had to shut down.
The sudden re-opening after roughly the same amount of time that people quarantine when they test positive for COVID, has only fueled the rumor mill.
Meanwhile, it’s very possible that the Powers That Be at Bottega Louie closed operations “out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of guests and staff.”
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health modified its Health Officer Order to require masking for everyone while indoors at public settings and businesses, regardless of vaccination status.
Los Angeles County indoor masking requirements for everyone went into effective Saturday, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. This requirement includes the City of West Hollywood. Some exceptions will apply, as with masking requirements that were in place prior to the June 15 reopening. The modified Health Officer Order will be posted on the LA County Public Health website on Friday, July 16, 2021. For additional details and specifics, please visit the LA County Public Health website athttp://ph.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus — the order and any updated Appendices will be posted as they become available.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department issued a statement stating that it will not enforce the mask mandate. “Forcing the vaccinated and those who already contracted COVID-19 to wear masks indoors is not backed by science and contradicts the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines,” reads the statement by Los Angeles County Sheriff, Alex Villanueva. “The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will instead ask for voluntary compliance.”
Community transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County has rapidly increased from Moderate to Substantial. Emerging data affirms that fully vaccinated people are well protected from severe infections with Delta variants, but people who have received only one dose of a two-dose vaccine (such as Pfizer or Moderna) are not as well protected until after they have received a second dose. There is evidence that individuals who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine are well protected. However, there is evidence, as well, that a very small number of fully vaccinated individuals can become infected. From June 27 to July 3, the percentage of sequenced Delta variants 71 percent of all sequences collected that week. In addition, given that approximately 4 million residents in Los Angeles County are not yet fully vaccinated, the risk of increased community spread remains high.
Local Public Health Officials are reminding community members that it is important to get tested for COVID-19 infection for people who develop symptoms, even if fully vaccinated. Testing is also recommended for unvaccinated people who have been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed COVID-19 infection or who has had a potential exposure. COVID-19 testing remains widely available across the county. Residents should first call their healthcare provider for a COVID-19 test. For people who cannot get a test through a healthcare provider, free testing is available; please visit https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.
Los Angeles County coordinates a COVID-19 West Hollywood testing site at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. The testing site is open each week from Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is adjacent to the Community Center in the South Parking Lot. Tests are being administered by Fulgent Genetics. Although walk-ins are welcome, it is strongly encouraged that those interested in getting a test pre-register for an appointment at la.fulgentgenetics.com. People getting tests should bring ID and confirmation number to the appointment.
Health officials urge all people to get vaccinated. Residents ages 12 and older with internet access are urged to use www.VaccinateLACounty.com to sign up for a vaccination appointment. For people without access to a computer or the Internet, or people with disabilities, an LA County call center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. to help schedule appointments at (833) 540-0473.
Additional information, such as links to West Hollywood-area drug store chains offering vaccinations, is available on the City of West Hollywood’s website at www.weho.org/coronavirus in the Vaccines and Testing Information section.
Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks or more after they have received the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks or more after they have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
