Orange County revises coronavirus order in effort to ease confusion
4 years, 9 months ago

Orange County revises coronavirus order in effort to ease confusion

LA Times  

In an effort to stem confusion by many residents and businesses about what they could and couldn’t do, Orange County on Wednesday issued a clarification on its emergency order the day before that placed strong new restrictions on gatherings and some businesses as a precaution against the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease COVID-19. The revised order by county health officer Dr. Nichole Quick emphasized that except in specific cases, “nothing in this document prohibits businesses and other entities from operating within Orange County,” though they should “operate in accordance with social distancing guidelines issued by the California Department of Public Health” — six feet from other people. “People were reading the order to say nonessential businesses needed to shut down, and that is not in fact what was intended,” county Supervisor Don Wagner said. The revision also said that “nothing in this order prohibits the gathering of members of a household, gathering or living unit, or the utilization of caregivers,” or attending school, going to work, “essential public transportation, airport travel, shopping at a store, mall or farmers market or charitable food pantries and distributions.” It did, however, say that all public and private gatherings outside a household that are defined by the state Department of Public Health as nonessential to daily life or the public health are prohibited through March.

Health Public Health Order County Orange County  travel  confusion  coronavirus  public  ease  health  revises  order  effort  county  orange  cases  virus  contact  businesses

History of this topic

Orange County declares health emergency due to viruses
2 years, 2 months ago

Orange County declares health emergency due to viruses

Associated Press  

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A health emergency has been declared in Southern California’s Orange County due to rapidly spreading viral infections that are sending more children to the hospital, health officials said Tuesday. The county health officer issued the declaration Monday due to record numbers of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits, the county’s health care agency said in …

Orange County declares health emergency as RSV surges; cases also rising in L.A.
2 years, 2 months ago

Orange County declares health emergency as RSV surges; cases also rising in L.A.

LA Times  

An electron micrograph shows the respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV. Orange County, for instance, has only two hospitals dedicated to caring for children, and both “have been operating at or beyond their capacity to care for pediatric with respiratory illness,” county health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said Tuesday. And there’s only so many beds that a pediatric hospital …

Orange County hits ‘high’ transmission of COVID-19 again
2 years, 5 months ago

Orange County hits ‘high’ transmission of COVID-19 again

LA Times  

Hundreds of guests watch the firework show during the Independence Day Community Celebration presented by the city of Costa Mesa at the Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on July 3. As recent Independence Day celebrations recede into memory and the Orange County Fair begins, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported Friday “high” area transmission of the coronavirus that …

Orange County COVID-19 hospitalizations flare up as Fourth of July weekend nears
2 years, 6 months ago

Orange County COVID-19 hospitalizations flare up as Fourth of July weekend nears

LA Times  

As locals plan to celebrate Independence Day with in-person gatherings, health officials reported Tuesday COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased 16.8% over last week. As Orange County residents look forward to celebrating the upcoming Fourth of July weekend with a host of in-person gatherings, local health officials are beginning to see an uptick in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19. Figures …

L.A. County sees a record 44,000 new coronavirus cases as staff shortages strain hospitals
3 years ago

L.A. County sees a record 44,000 new coronavirus cases as staff shortages strain hospitals

LA Times  

Emergency rooms across California are coming under strain as they contend both with a deluge of new coronavirus-positive patients and people coming in to demand tests — all as their workers are increasingly being stricken by the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. Chinsio-Kwong said that, anecdotally, she’s heard anywhere from 10% to 20% of workers are unavailable due to coronavirus-related reasons, …

Orange County reports third pediatric death of COVID-19, growing hospitalizations
3 years ago

Orange County reports third pediatric death of COVID-19, growing hospitalizations

LA Times  

Women wearing masks walk past business along Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa on Thursday. The Orange County Health Care Agency reported Thursday the death of a child from COVID-19, making this the third pediatric death in the county from the disease since the pandemic began in 2020. On Friday during a media briefing, Orange County health officials painted a dire …

Orange County hospitals filling up, ambulances delayed amid Omicron surge
3 years ago

Orange County hospitals filling up, ambulances delayed amid Omicron surge

LA Times  

A healthcare worker walks outside UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange. Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, a deputy health officer with Orange County, urged the public not to come to emergency rooms unless it’s an emergency, and said it’s inappropriate for people to go there just to get a coronavirus test. Like elsewhere in California, Orange County’s coronavirus numbers are trending in …

Orange County records its first case of Omicron variant
3 years ago

Orange County records its first case of Omicron variant

LA Times  

Shoppers leave the Target along Harbor Boulevard on Tuesday in Costa Mesa. The Orange County Health Care Agency announced Friday the arrival of the first case of the Omicron variant in the county. The Orange County Health Care Agency announced Friday the arrival of the first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in the county. …

Orange freed from lockdown after more than a month under stay-at-home orders
3 years, 3 months ago

Orange freed from lockdown after more than a month under stay-at-home orders

ABC  

One of regional New South Wales' largest regional cities is being released from lockdown after five weeks of stay-at-home orders. Key points: Lockdown will end for residents of Orange from midnight tonight Stay-at-home orders for Hilltops LGA will be extended for another seven days Eleven new cases in the Western NSW Local Health District have been recorded From midnight tonight …

Orange County says it’s too soon to tell whether COVID-19 surge is finally peaking
3 years, 4 months ago

Orange County says it’s too soon to tell whether COVID-19 surge is finally peaking

LA Times  

Javier Garcia wears a mask in Laguna Beach while sweeping outside Broadway by Amar Santana in May. An Orange County health official said Wednesday it was too soon to say whether the county has reached the peak of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that has been fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant. “I don’t want to jump …

With COVID-19 hospitalizations potentially peaking in early September, O.C. health official urges caution
3 years, 4 months ago

With COVID-19 hospitalizations potentially peaking in early September, O.C. health official urges caution

LA Times  

As Orange County contends with its third COVID-19 surge, hospitalizations may peak in the first few weeks of September. “So we’re not out of the woods yet, and people really need to be very careful in the next coming weeks,” Chinsio-Kwong said. The county health officer also said the current surge more closely mirrors last year’s summer surge. “The hope …

Orange County officials call on community for help to defend against recent COVID-19 surge
3 years, 4 months ago

Orange County officials call on community for help to defend against recent COVID-19 surge

LA Times  

A kindergartner is greeted at a pre-screen station as elementary students return for in-person learning at Top of the World Elementary in October 2020. Dr. Clayton Chau, the director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, made another plea Tuesday to residents to get vaccinated if they have not done so and to do so with haste. Don’t listen to …

Orange County reports sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations: What to know
3 years, 4 months ago

Orange County reports sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations: What to know

LA Times  

Orange County officials are expressing growing concern about the spread of the coronavirus amid a nationwide surge caused by the highly contagious Delta variant. “Very few of us are going to get out without either getting COVID illness or getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Matthew Zahn, Orange County’s deputy health officer and a pediatric infectious disease expert. There continue to be …

Rate of positive coronavirus tests rises in Orange County as it falls in L.A. County
3 years, 5 months ago

Rate of positive coronavirus tests rises in Orange County as it falls in L.A. County

LA Times  

Vanessa Harper, left, manager with Behavioral Health Serves and neurologist and chief of staff Dr. Brian Boyd, right, seen in the emergency department at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Feb. 2021 in Orange, CA. Nine Orange County hospitals recently reported that it was taking more than an hour for many patients to be offloaded from ambulances to emergency rooms, Schultz …

Orange County moves into yellow tier, the most lenient for COVID-19 reopenings
3 years, 7 months ago

Orange County moves into yellow tier, the most lenient for COVID-19 reopenings

LA Times  

The Promenade on Forest Avenue is a pedestrian-only experience featuring shopping and restaurants in Laguna Beach. In addition to Orange County, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Amador counties also advanced to the yellow tier — continuing a slew of reopenings that have sparked optimism that the worst of COVID-19 may now be in the rearview mirror and that the state …

L.A. County cautions holiday vigilance as COVID-19 case numbers rise in other states
3 years, 9 months ago

L.A. County cautions holiday vigilance as COVID-19 case numbers rise in other states

LA Times  

Los Angeles County public health authorities are urging people to remain vigilant in observing coronavirus protocols when traveling or socializing during the spring holidays, cautioning that other states are seeing a rise in cases. Although California’s numbers continue to decline, health officials are concerned about an uptick in COVID-19 cases in several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and …

Orange County launches ‘Operation Independence’ to distribute COVID-19 vaccines countywide
4 years ago

Orange County launches ‘Operation Independence’ to distribute COVID-19 vaccines countywide

LA Times  

Clinical pharmacist Stephanie Chao fills a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach in December. Orange County announced Thursday that it would be launching “Operation Independence,” in which county officials collaborate with the Orange County Fire Authority to help administer COVID-19 vaccinations to residents countywide. The announcement comes as the Orange County Health Care Agency …

Orange County deploys field hospitals as COVID-19 cases soar
4 years ago

Orange County deploys field hospitals as COVID-19 cases soar

LA Times  

Triage tents are set up outside Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana on Friday. With the number of local COVID-19 patients soaring to record levels, Orange County officials announced Tuesday they will deploy mobile field hospitals to relieve some of the stress on the region’s healthcare system. “Every day we break the record of the number of people …

TimesOC: Latest news in Orange County
4 years, 1 month ago

TimesOC: Latest news in Orange County

LA Times  

A surfer takes in the sunset at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach on Dec. 2. NEWS — U.S. panel endorses widespread use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine — One-day U.S. death toll from COVID-19 tops 3,000, more than D-Day or 9/11 — Orange County reports record-high 1,025 COVID-19 hospitalizations — Here’s how California plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine …

TimesOC: Latest news in Orange County
4 years, 1 month ago

TimesOC: Latest news in Orange County

LA Times  

Santa Claus receives a personalized letter from 6-year-old Joey Martinez as his twin sister, Elyse, looks on during a drive-through event at the St. Bonaventure Catholic School in Huntington Beach on Saturday. ‘This is the start of the Thanksgiving bump’ — Orange County reports 1,671 new COVID-19 cases on second day of stay-at-home order — ‘We know our county best’: …

L.A. County on brink of additional restrictions with more than 4,500 new coronavirus cases
4 years, 1 month ago

L.A. County on brink of additional restrictions with more than 4,500 new coronavirus cases

LA Times  

People wait in line for food distribution by Los Angeles Restoration Church on Thursday at MacArthur Park. County data released Saturday evening revealed 4,522 new cases; the average daily count over the last four days is 4,442. “We have to change the alarming increases in cases and hospitalizations,” Ferrer said in a statement, “and get back to slowing the spread …

Orange County officials cry foul after state imposes sweeping COVID-19 restrictions
4 years, 1 month ago

Orange County officials cry foul after state imposes sweeping COVID-19 restrictions

LA Times  

Shoppers walk around a largely deserted downtown Huntington Beach as Orange County found itself back in the COVID-19 Purple Tier. Board Chairwoman Michelle Steel, a Republican who was recently elected to Congress, called the decision a “unilateral move” that she thinks “is troubling and harmful to Orange County families who need to put food on the table, to small businesses …

Orange County reports 6 new deaths due to COVID-19
4 years, 3 months ago

Orange County reports 6 new deaths due to COVID-19

LA Times  

Moviegoers wearing masks grab snacks at the just reopened Cinemark Century Cinema in Huntington Beach on Friday. In the red tier, classified as “substantial transmission,” counties must maintain rates between four and seven new daily cases per 100,000 residents and a testing positivity percentage between 5% and 8%. The thresholds for the third tier are one to 3.9 new daily …

Orange County shows progress in COVID-19 fight as businesses are allowed to reopen indoor operations
4 years, 4 months ago

Orange County shows progress in COVID-19 fight as businesses are allowed to reopen indoor operations

LA Times  

People eat out at the Longboard Restaurant and Pub in Huntington Beach on May 26. Orange County moved from the purple tier to the red tier in California’s coronavirus guidelines on Tuesday, meaning many businesses in the county can start to reopen indoor operations with modifications. The numbers of daily new COVID-19 cases and positive tests have been low enough …

As COVID-19 risk dips, Orange County gets OK to reopen indoor restaurants, movie theaters
4 years, 4 months ago

As COVID-19 risk dips, Orange County gets OK to reopen indoor restaurants, movie theaters

LA Times  

Orange County received some much-anticipated and welcome news in its battle against the coronavirus on Tuesday as it officially moved into the second stage of California’s four-tiered, color-coded reopening system. It will take roughly two weeks to learn whether the combination of Labor Day weekend activity and the state’s new reopening guidelines leads to a new surge in COVID-19 cases. …

Orange County ranked as ‘widespread’ as Gov. Newsom releases new guidelines on reopening California
4 years, 4 months ago

Orange County ranked as ‘widespread’ as Gov. Newsom releases new guidelines on reopening California

LA Times  

Richard Hernandes, from right, his girlfriend, Jazmin Domingo, his brothers, Seth Patlan, and Joseph Hamassian, wait for a table at a restaurant along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Aug. 12. Counties in this tier have more than seven new cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of 8% and above. Counties in this tier …

Coronavirus cases up by about 200 as Orange County inches toward getting off state’s watch list
4 years, 4 months ago

Coronavirus cases up by about 200 as Orange County inches toward getting off state’s watch list

LA Times  

Marcos Escutia, 30 of Costa Mesa, wears a unique face mask at the Newport Pier in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 7, 2020. Orange County reported 216 new coronavirus cases Monday, bringing the total to 43,925, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The case rate is 109.7 per 100,000 people, — the only qualifier Orange County hasn’t satisfied …

Coronavirus hospitalizations jump 97% in Orange County in less than a month
4 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus hospitalizations jump 97% in Orange County in less than a month

LA Times  

The number of patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections reached new heights Thursday in Orange County — jumping 97% over the past three weeks — an indicator that health experts say makes it clear the virus is spreading more rapidly in the region. The spike has prompted hospitals countywide to begin to prepare for a surge of sick patients, said …

Many in Orange County resist masks even as coronavirus cases soar
4 years, 6 months ago

Many in Orange County resist masks even as coronavirus cases soar

LA Times  

Lisa and Todd Smith enjoy drinks on Main Street in Huntington Beach on July 1 as they greet a passerby who says she can’t get used to wearing a face mask. A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that, “wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent …

Orange County rescinds coronavirus mask mandate amid pushback, resignation
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County rescinds coronavirus mask mandate amid pushback, resignation

LA Times  

Orange County residents no longer have to wear masks in public, officials announced Thursday — an abrupt shift in health orders following weeks of debate over the use of face coverings to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The new order, he said, “will no longer require that most residents wear a face covering, but strongly recommends that they should …

Orange County public health officer resigns in coronavirus controversy
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County public health officer resigns in coronavirus controversy

LA Times  

Orange County’s chief health officer resigned Monday after several intense weeks defending her countywide face mask order in response to the coronavirus pandemic. D.A.’s office to charge it as murder.” Later that week, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Steel condemned the threat, saying, “It should never happen again.” “No one deserves to be threatened or intimidated the way …

More than 200 new coronavirus cases reported in Orange County
4 years, 7 months ago

More than 200 new coronavirus cases reported in Orange County

LA Times  

Esthela Gomez sews the second part of a face covering at the Ullman Sails Newport Beach workshop in Santa Ana on Thursday. There were 213 new cases of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 reported Monday in Orange County, according to updated numbers from the Orange County Heath Care Agency. The county now has 6,474 cumulative cases to date, including …

Orange County authorities won’t enforce mask requirement: ‘We are not the mask police’
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County authorities won’t enforce mask requirement: ‘We are not the mask police’

LA Times  

Jim Rafferty, owner of Kelly’s Korner — one of Orange County’s best-known sports bars — chats with a regular on May 16 in Placentia. To learn more about the County Health Officer’s recent order that applies to all residents and visitors of #OC, please visit https://t.co/KLLV4w9tvd #OCCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/e60iJsdpO7 — OC Health Care Agency May 26, 2020 The mask ordinance is …

Orange County cleared to reopen more businesses amid coronavirus restrictions
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County cleared to reopen more businesses amid coronavirus restrictions

LA Times  

Orange County has been approved by the state to mount a more aggressive reopening of local businesses, officials announced Saturday. “The order includes necessary preventative measures to control and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community and help preserve the capacity in our local healthcare system, which was one of the metrics the California Department of Public Health took …

Orange County reports 12 more deaths due to COVID-19
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County reports 12 more deaths due to COVID-19

LA Times  

Jenny Farrell, right, with OC Cutworks, and her mother Preechar Sullivan work on a pattern to create face masks for UC Irvine healthcare workers. Orange County reported double digits in terms of COVID-19-related deaths for the third time in four days, according to the latest numbers released by the Orange County Health Care Agency on Saturday. The new data reported …

Coronavirus continues to claim nursing home patients in Orange County
4 years, 7 months ago

Coronavirus continues to claim nursing home patients in Orange County

LA Times  

A worker enters the Huntington Valley Healthcare Center in Huntington Beach on April 22. Five of the six new coronavirus-related deaths announced in Orange County Friday were among nursing home patients, the county Health Care Agency said, further skewing the harshest impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable population. The overall positivity rate has hovered steadily around 5% since the county …

Orange County reports 14 more coronavirus deaths
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County reports 14 more coronavirus deaths

LA Times  

Orange County tallied 14 new deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, with nursing homes again taking the brunt. News Sign up for the Daily Pilot Newsletter Email [email protected] to sign up for the newsletter featuring the latest news involving Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County. The county did not name the …

Orange County reports 10 new COVID-19 deaths in one day
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County reports 10 new COVID-19 deaths in one day

LA Times  

The Orange County Health Care Agency reported a record 10 new deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, with nursing home residents making up most of the additional fatalities. The grim rebound comes after two straight days with no reported COVID-19 deaths in Orange County, which has now seen 98 cumulative deaths from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Seven of …

Orange County reports its highest daily coronavirus case count
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County reports its highest daily coronavirus case count

LA Times  

Healthcare workers at UC Irvine Medical Center wave to first responders giving them a drive-by salute in mid-April. Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases Thursday, its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic. But the growing numbers aren’t only because of an increase in testing, Orange County Health Care Agency Director Clayton Chau said during a …

Orange County coronavirus death toll reaches 80 as hospitalizations hit new high
4 years, 7 months ago

Orange County coronavirus death toll reaches 80 as hospitalizations hit new high

LA Times  

Lifeguard Nathan Thompson in Seal Beach, which reopened for active use along the shore during daylight hours Monday through Thursday. Orange County health officials on Wednesday reported a new high for coronavirus hospitalizations, noting there are currently 248 COVID-19 patients in hospitals in the county. The number of coronavirus cases also rose on Wednesday, with an additional 157 infections among …

Coronavirus: What's allowed in orange zones in Lockdown 3.0
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus: What's allowed in orange zones in Lockdown 3.0

India Today  

The Ministry of Home Affairs in its order on Friday extended the nationwide lockdown for another 14 days, till May 17, 2020. Apart from defining what would lead to the classification of a district into red, orange and green zone, the MHA has also allowed certain economic activities to resume from May 4 onwards. Taxis and cab operators will be …

Orange County public health expands coronavirus testing
4 years, 8 months ago

Orange County public health expands coronavirus testing

LA Times  

Bicycle riders practice social distancing just north of the Huntington Beach pier, in Huntington Beach on April 10. The OC Health Care Agency launched the OC COVID-19 Testing Network Tuesday with six clinics and plans to add four more within the next two weeks. David Souleles, director of public health services for the Health Care Agency, told the county Board …

Orange County sheriff says there is no immediate plan to release inmates early over coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

Orange County sheriff says there is no immediate plan to release inmates early over coronavirus

LA Times  

An inmate at Men’s Central Jail in Santa Ana tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday. A day after the first Orange County inmate tested positive for the coronavirus, the Sheriff’s Department said it does not plan to release prisoners early amid the growing pandemic until all other options are exhausted. Even as other counties release some inmates and limit the …

Orange County issues order to stop non-essential gatherings through March
4 years, 9 months ago

Orange County issues order to stop non-essential gatherings through March

LA Times  

The Starbucks at Bella Terra mall in Huntington Beach was closed Monday, a day before Orange County officially ordered that all public and private gatherings outside a household be canceled and restaurant dine-in service be stopped as a precaution against the coronavirus. “We recognize community members may experience anxiety related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19 and want to …

Orange County firefighters under isolation after possible coronavirus contact
4 years, 10 months ago

Orange County firefighters under isolation after possible coronavirus contact

LA Times  

Orange County Fire Authority firefighters from Engine Company 20 have been placed in isolation “out of an abundance of caution” after they encountered a patient who had traveled internationally and was showing symptoms similar to coronavirus, authorities said Monday. The crew members, who were placed in isolation Saturday, will remain at a fire station in Irvine until the patient’s test …

Orange County declares a local emergency about coronavirus
4 years, 10 months ago

Orange County declares a local emergency about coronavirus

LA Times  

Orange County officials declared a local health emergency Wednesday in response to the coronavirus that has infected more than 81,000 people worldwide, including 59 cases in the United States. necessary to respond to this declared emergency.” It also asks that the governor and president declare a state of emergency and “make all relevant funds available to the county of Orange …

Orange County declares emergency over coronavirus
4 years, 10 months ago

Orange County declares emergency over coronavirus

LA Times  

A coronavirus health advisory is posted in the emergency department at St. Joseph Medical Center in Orange. “The county of Orange continues to support Costa Mesa in opposition of state and federal government’s decision to move COVID-19 patients to the Fairview Center,” Do said. “Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” Nancy Messonnier, director of the …

Discover Related