Restaurants navigate another wave of changes with mask and vaccine requirements
2 years, 9 months ago

Restaurants navigate another wave of changes with mask and vaccine requirements

LA Times  

Elaine Chang and Steven Park at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra in 2021. There’s a quote attributed to Mark Twain that goes, “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” The same could possibly be said for mask and vaccine requirements in Los Angeles, where restaurant workers and owners have juggled sometimes confusing and contradictory guidance on state, county and local levels during the last two years. “I get it, everyone is tired of wearing these masks, we’re on the front lines,” he said, referring to himself and his restaurant staff. “Even though our staff is 100% vaccinated, it’s up to them if they wish to keep the mask and some of them do,” Miller said. “We said, ‘You have to go outside.’” Olivas said he and his team have remained focused on their work and will adapt to future law changes as they come.

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History of this topic

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.
1 year, 3 months ago

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.

LA Times  

Despite rising coronavirus outbreaks across Los Angeles County, officials said they have no plans for new public mask mandates — a sign of how COVID-19 policies have changed in an era of plentiful vaccines, lower death rates and back-to-normal culture. “We have such good tools right now that we really shouldn’t get there.” California COVID outbreaks hit workplaces, schools across …

Masks are back on at Lionsgate HQ as COVID outbreaks rise, including at ‘Masked Singer’ studio
1 year, 4 months ago

Masks are back on at Lionsgate HQ as COVID outbreaks rise, including at ‘Masked Singer’ studio

LA Times  

The change in policy at Lionsgate Entertainment comes after several employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to an internal memo. The policy change came after several employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to an internal memo. Of those, 14 were at workplaces, including a couple within the entertainment industry — the Directors Guild of America and “The Masked Singer” studio …

In-N-Out bans employees from wearing masks
1 year, 5 months ago

In-N-Out bans employees from wearing masks

LA Times  

Only workers in California and Oregon will be exempt from In-N-Out’s forthcoming mask ban in five of the seven states in which it operates restaurants. California fast-food institution In-N-Out Burger announced that it will soon ban employees from wearing masks in five of the seven states in which it operates restaurants, according to an internal memo leaked Friday. If employees …

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels
2 years ago

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels

LA Times  

With COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory diseases circulating widely in Los Angeles County and elsewhere, many officials are urging residents to use a familiar tool to help thwart transmission: masks. As case rates rise, “your chance of catching COVID during your routine activities — grocery shopping, eating out, running errands, going to work — will increase,” according to Los …

L.A. County hits high COVID-19 community level, but mask mandate far from certain
2 years ago

L.A. County hits high COVID-19 community level, but mask mandate far from certain

LA Times  

Los Angeles County has again entered the high COVID-19 community level, further indication that the continuing spike in cases is starting to exert pressure on the region’s hospitals. L.A. County hasn’t been in the high COVID-19 community level since summer, the last time when it appeared a mask mandate might be imminent. The county’s move into the high COVID-19 community …

L.A. County ends mask order on public transit, in airports
2 years, 3 months ago

L.A. County ends mask order on public transit, in airports

LA Times  

With the number of reported coronavirus cases and hospitalizations declining, health officials said the time has come to relax the order. Masking is still strongly recommended in interior transit settings — and “from our perspective, means it’s a great idea to keep your mask on,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. L.A. County officials said they would …

California is easing COVID-19 mask recommendations as conditions improve. Here’s where
2 years, 3 months ago

California is easing COVID-19 mask recommendations as conditions improve. Here’s where

LA Times  

In a new sign of improving coronavirus conditions, California will ease its mask-wearing recommendations for the first time in seven months. Instead, California will recommend universal mask wearing only when a county’s COVID-19 community level — which indicates rates of new coronavirus-positive hospitalizations — is high. Even with the changes, when the COVID-19 community level is high, the California Department …

L.A. County could soon drop this key COVID mask rule. Here’s why
2 years, 3 months ago

L.A. County could soon drop this key COVID mask rule. Here’s why

LA Times  

Los Angeles County’s requirement that riders wear masks aboard public transit or in transportation hubs such as airports could end this month if coronavirus case rates decline further. And because the person with COVID is often capable of infecting others for up to 48 hours before they develop any symptoms — and some people never develop symptoms and yet can …

COVID-19: Singapore issues new mandatory mask rules
2 years, 3 months ago

COVID-19: Singapore issues new mandatory mask rules

Live Mint  

COVID-19 social mixing restrictions in Singapore will be removed and masks would no longer be required in indoor settings, except in a few places, as per a notification on August 24. In addition to emergency ambulances and medical transport vehicles, mask wearing will continue to be required in all indoor hospital and polyclinic facilities including retail, food and beverage, common …

The surprising reason why this L.A. boutique says it banned COVID masks: Crime
2 years, 4 months ago

The surprising reason why this L.A. boutique says it banned COVID masks: Crime

LA Times  

The front window of Kitson in Los Angeles states that masks are banned because of a string of robberies in the area. “There’s a customer coming in with a mask,” he said, “and I need to tell them they can’t come in with one.” That’s the new reality at Kitson on Robertson Boulevard in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los …

Los Angeles County avoids new mask rule as COVID stabilizes
2 years, 4 months ago

Los Angeles County avoids new mask rule as COVID stabilizes

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County dropped a plan to impose a universal indoor mask mandate this week as COVID-19 infections and rates of hospitalizations have stabilized, a top health official said Thursday. Health director Barbara Ferrer said two weeks ago that the nation’s most populous county could again require face coverings if trends in hospital admissions continued under criteria …

L.A. County could be days away from a mask mandate. These cities won’t enforce it
2 years, 4 months ago

L.A. County could be days away from a mask mandate. These cities won’t enforce it

LA Times  

Shoppers at the Long Beach Flea Market in April. Although Los Angeles County is days away from possibly imposing another universal public indoor mask mandate, several cities within the county say they won’t enforce one if implemented or issue their own. “The City of Pasadena health officer will not be issuing a general indoor mask mandate at this time.” The …

Necessary or excessive? Debate intensifies over potential mask rule for L.A. County
2 years, 4 months ago

Necessary or excessive? Debate intensifies over potential mask rule for L.A. County

LA Times  

Visitors to the Grand Central Market are mostly masked on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 in Los Angeles. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has said L.A. County would reimpose an indoor mask mandate if it reached the high COVID-19 community level, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and remained there for two consecutive weeks. cited growing …

How safe are indoor dining, bars, big events as COVID slams California?
2 years, 4 months ago

How safe are indoor dining, bars, big events as COVID slams California?

LA Times  

Guests hit the midway on opening day at the Orange County Fair at the Costa Mesa fairgrounds earlier this month. “We’re stuck in the ‘everybody wants this to go away,’ but it’s not going to go away,” said Dr. Kimberly Shriner, an infectious disease specialist with Huntington Hospital. “We’re in the middle of the surge, I’m going to ramp up …

‘It’s sort of like we’re back to 2020’: L.A. dining scene braces for possible indoor masking return
2 years, 4 months ago

‘It’s sort of like we’re back to 2020’: L.A. dining scene braces for possible indoor masking return

LA Times  

Nicole Mitchell, a bartender and server at Cassia, in May 2021. As Los Angeles hurtles toward a possible return of a countywide indoor mask mandate, restaurateurs and bar owners are bracing for a new wave of backlash and enforcement difficulties — reminiscent of many of their industry’s hardships during the pandemic-spurred pivots and rapidly evolving dining regulations of 2020 and …

With COVID surging, Los Angeles may soon require masks
2 years, 5 months ago

With COVID surging, Los Angeles may soon require masks

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Nick Barragan is used to wearing a mask because his job in the Hollywood film industry has long required it. “We’re asking you to take a sensible step, when there’s this much transmission with a highly transmissible variant, to go ahead and put back on a well fitting high-filtration mask when you’re indoors around others.” Nationwide, the …

With ultra-contagious BA.5 rising, how close is L.A. to an indoor COVID mask mandate?
2 years, 5 months ago

With ultra-contagious BA.5 rising, how close is L.A. to an indoor COVID mask mandate?

LA Times  

People wear masks while waiting in line for COVID-19 tests in Los Angeles in January. However, it is looking more likely, as cases and admissions have continued to increase, that we’ll enter the high community level designation later this month,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. Assuming L.A. County were to enter the high COVID-19 community level …

Will everyone in California eventually get coronavirus? What we know
2 years, 5 months ago

Will everyone in California eventually get coronavirus? What we know

LA Times  

With tens of thousands of new coronavirus cases being reported in California each week, it might seem inevitable that everyone will get infected at some point. “The storyline is, ‘Everybody’s gotten it.’ But the reality is a lot of people haven’t,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert. “Everyone needs to be vigilant to avoid exposure and …

As California coronavirus hospitalizations rise, Bay Area divided on mask rules
2 years, 6 months ago

As California coronavirus hospitalizations rise, Bay Area divided on mask rules

LA Times  

People wear masks in March 2021 while walking along at path in front of the “Painted Ladies,” a row of Victorian homes, and the San Francisco skyline at Alamo Square Park in San Francisco. Across the bay from San Francisco, officials in Alameda County — which is home to Oakland — issued a new indoor mask mandate last week. Most …

With California hit by new coronavirus wave, time to start wearing masks? Limit gatherings?
2 years, 6 months ago

With California hit by new coronavirus wave, time to start wearing masks? Limit gatherings?

LA Times  

As California contends with another resurgence of the coronavirus, what should residents consider doing to protect themselves from infection? “With all of the unknowns around these new variants, it is sensible to take the simple step of putting back on the mask when you’re indoors,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director. But regardless of a region’s level, “individuals …

A third of US should be considering masks, officials say
2 years, 7 months ago

A third of US should be considering masks, officials say

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States — and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. “Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC …

A third of U.S. should be considering masks, officials say
2 years, 7 months ago

A third of U.S. should be considering masks, officials say

LA Times  

Coronavirus infections are on the rise in the United States and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday as they urged the hardest-hit areas to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. “Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, …

美国洛杉矶重启公共交通“口罩令”
2 years, 7 months ago

美国洛杉矶重启公共交通“口罩令”

China Daily  

Los Angeles County once again requiring masks on all public transit 美国加利福尼亚州洛杉矶郡连续两天新冠肺炎确诊病例单日新增超过2000例，在此形势下，洛杉矶县公共卫生局发布一项针对疫情的最新公共卫生规定，自4月22日起在公共交通和机场内重启“口罩令”。 Travelers wearing masks walk around inside John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City on April 19, 2022. 洛杉矶郡在公共交通和机场等室内交通枢纽内重启“口罩令”。 LA County public health officials issued a new COVID-19 health order effective Friday that will make masks mandatory on all public transit, including buses, trains, taxis and ride-share services. …

Confused? Confounded? Why L.A. County is requiring masks again at airports and public transit
2 years, 8 months ago

Confused? Confounded? Why L.A. County is requiring masks again at airports and public transit

LA Times  

Passengers make their way to a Delta counter at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, days before the county reinstated a mask-wearing order for local airports and indoor public transit settings. But L.A. County’s Department of Public Health issued a new health order that reinstated a universal mask mandate at indoor airport settings and public transit. “It’s better than nothing” …

L.A. County keeps mask mandate at airports, on public transit, despite federal changes
2 years, 8 months ago

L.A. County keeps mask mandate at airports, on public transit, despite federal changes

LA Times  

Despite recent changes at the federal level, Los Angeles County is continuing to require travelers to mask up when aboard public transit or in indoor transportation hubs such as airports. L.A. County’s mask order covers commuter trains, subways, buses, taxis, Ubers and Lyfts; as well as indoor transportation hubs, including bus terminals, subway stations, seaports and other indoor port terminals, …

Some California transit agencies ask riders to still wear masks, despite court decision
2 years, 8 months ago

Some California transit agencies ask riders to still wear masks, despite court decision

LA Times  

A bin filled with free N95 respirator masks, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sits outside the pharmacy at this Kroger grocery store in Jackson, Miss. Some public transit agencies in California are asking riders to continue wearing masks on buses and trains, despite a federal court ruling in Florida on Monday that struck down the …

Most Californians favor COVID vaccine requirements even as they’re lifted, poll finds
2 years, 8 months ago

Most Californians favor COVID vaccine requirements even as they’re lifted, poll finds

LA Times  

A woman steps out of her car at a pharmacy in Nashua, N.H., offering COVID-19 vaccinations on Dec. 7, 2021. Most Californians still favor COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements to show proof of vaccination at large outdoor gatherings or to enter places like indoor restaurants and bars, a new survey suggests. Overall, 57% of residents surveyed by the PPIC said they …

California moves to lift vaccine, test verification at sizable indoor events
2 years, 9 months ago

California moves to lift vaccine, test verification at sizable indoor events

LA Times  

Fans line up before the start of a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day in Los Angeles. California will lift a rule next month requiring attendees to show proof they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the coronavirus as a condition of entry for significantly sized indoor events, …

L.A. moves to lift vaccine verification mandate at indoor businesses
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. moves to lift vaccine verification mandate at indoor businesses

LA Times  

Brian Oh, left, and Ro Chei eat at Seongbukdong, a restaurant serving traditional Korean food on 6th Street between Western and Vermont in Los Angeles. Los Angeles City Council members took the first step Wednesday toward lifting vaccine verification requirements at many indoor businesses, the latest in a slew of rule relaxations as the Omicron surge steadily fades. Dibiny said …

Going to a concert? What to know about the new L.A. COVID rules
2 years, 9 months ago

Going to a concert? What to know about the new L.A. COVID rules

LA Times  

After more than a year of vaccine card checks, rapid antigen testing and ever-evolving mask rules, L.A. County Department of Public Health has done away with most of its restrictions around COVID-19 for music clubs and venues. “The consistency in the decline of these important metrics in the County and across the State allow for a significant revision of required …

L.A. could soon end COVID vaccine mandate for restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. could soon end COVID vaccine mandate for restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters

LA Times  

Los Angeles could soon ease city rules requiring indoor restaurants, gyms, bars, movie theaters, hair salons and other businesses to check that customers are vaccinated against COVID-19 before letting them inside. She is still suggesting that businesses continue to verify customers’ vaccination status, but, “as opposed to telling people what they have to do, we’re asking people to do them …

Big cities drop more COVID-19 measures in push for normalcy
2 years, 9 months ago

Big cities drop more COVID-19 measures in push for normalcy

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — New York City and Los Angeles are lifting some of their strictest COVID-19 prevention measures as officials in big cities around the U.S. push for a return to normalcy after two grueling years of the pandemic. New York City, which has long prided itself as having the nation’s toughest COVID-19 safety protocols, will do away with several …

Only 10% of Americans are still recommended to wear a mask indoors
2 years, 9 months ago

Only 10% of Americans are still recommended to wear a mask indoors

Daily Mail  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only recommends ten percent of Americans to wear masks in indoor, public, settings because they live in an area of 'high' Covid risk, a drastic fall from last week when nearly all Americans were recommended to wear masks before the agency updated guidelines. The updated recommendations, which now value hospitalization rate and capacity …

L.A. County ends indoor mask rules: How will it affect you?
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. County ends indoor mask rules: How will it affect you?

LA Times  

Chole Goddard and her year-and-a-half-old son, Noah, eat lunch at Grand Central Market on Tuesday. Mainly for his safety.” In a sign of improving coronavirus conditions, L.A. County on Friday lifted indoor mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status, in many public places. Even with the changes, California and L.A. County officials are still “strongly recommending” mask use in indoor public …

L.A. County lifts indoor mask rule after hitting crucial milestone
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. County lifts indoor mask rule after hitting crucial milestone

LA Times  

Los Angeles County ended its indoor mask mandate after entering the low coronavirus community level set by the CDC. Los Angeles County lifted its indoor mask order Friday after it officially exited the high coronavirus community level as calculated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even with the changes, California and L.A. County officials are still “strongly …

L.A. County set to lift indoor mask rules, vaccination proof at bars. What will change
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. County set to lift indoor mask rules, vaccination proof at bars. What will change

LA Times  

Security officer Don McClaren checks for proof of vaccination status from customers before they can enter the bar. It’s expected that L.A. County will officially lift its indoor mask order effective Friday, a mandate put in place in July, according to L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. California and L.A. County officials, however, are still “strongly recommending” mask use …

California is lifting more indoor mask rules. What does this mean for me?
2 years, 9 months ago

California is lifting more indoor mask rules. What does this mean for me?

LA Times  

Band members play while wearing special masks at Maywood Center For Enriched Studies. The statewide requirement that unvaccinated people remain masked in indoor public settings has remained consistent since California fully reopened last June. Most counties in California — including San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura — on Feb. 16 allowed the state’s two-month old universal masking-wearing order …

Mask mandates are being ditched by more states and schools. But a decision on public transportation is still up in the air
2 years, 9 months ago

Mask mandates are being ditched by more states and schools. But a decision on public transportation is still up in the air

CNN  

CNN — Even some of the most ardent supporters of Covid-19 precautions are ditching mask mandates as health officials release new guidelines and hospitalizations plummet. Dr. Mark Ghaly, state Health and Human Services Agency secretary, said he’s “pleased with how the data has come down.” Los Angeles County is aligning itself with California’s new masking guidance by no longer requiring …

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday
2 years, 9 months ago

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. The change comes as nearly all U.S. states that had put in place indoor mask-wearing mandates for the winter …

CDC relaxes guidelines for masks but still recommends them in L.A. County
2 years, 9 months ago

CDC relaxes guidelines for masks but still recommends them in L.A. County

LA Times  

People take a break at Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles. New guidance from the CDC says most people are no longer advised to wear masks in public indoor settings, though it doesn’t apply to L.A. County. L.A. County health officials have said they planned to review the latest guidance and present some options for a new masking policy …

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday
2 years, 9 months ago

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday

LA Times  

The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines to protect against coronavirus transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. In Los Angeles County, the CDC’s new guidance could affect the decision on when a local indoor public mask mandate would …

What you need to know about L.A. County’s new relaxed indoor mask rules
2 years, 10 months ago

What you need to know about L.A. County’s new relaxed indoor mask rules

LA Times  

Big changes are coming to L.A. County’s coronavirus regulations. At indoor businesses and offices that verify vaccination status, people who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to wear masks starting Friday, county health officials announced Wednesday. People who are not fully vaccinated can still enter indoor establishments with relaxed masking rules but must show proof of a recent negative …

More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead
2 years, 10 months ago

More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead

Associated Press  

The nation’s leading health officials said Wednesday that the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Philadelphia officials on Wednesday said the city’s vaccine mandate for restaurants was immediately lifted, though indoor mask mandates remain in place for …

California offers cautious blueprint forward as COVID wanes, mask orders ease
2 years, 10 months ago

California offers cautious blueprint forward as COVID wanes, mask orders ease

LA Times  

California’s newly announced pandemic plan calls for flexibility as new variants surge and fall. “The date will be well within a period of time that, I think, will do justice to the needs to keep people confident that their children are being prioritized and healthy and safe; at the same time, to accommodate the understanding that we’re trying to promote …

Companies revert to more normal operations as COVID wanes
2 years, 10 months ago

Companies revert to more normal operations as COVID wanes

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — For the first time in two years for many people, the American workplace is transforming into something that resembles pre-pandemic days. That’s a stark reversal from just weeks ago when the omicron variant of COVID-19 was peaking, prompting companies to double-down on mask requirements and enforce daily health screenings while delaying return-to-office plans for remote workers. Brian …

California just relaxed its mask rules. Here’s what changes and what stays the same
2 years, 10 months ago

California just relaxed its mask rules. Here’s what changes and what stays the same

LA Times  

Patrons walk through the 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia last summer. California L.A. County lifts outdoor mask mandate People can go without face coverings outdoors, including at K-12 schools, childcare facilities and in exterior areas of ‘mega’ events. L.A. County The revised guidance will allow people to go without face coverings outdoors at K-12 schools and …

Why California is hoping people keep wearing masks even as coronavirus cases fall
2 years, 10 months ago

Why California is hoping people keep wearing masks even as coronavirus cases fall

LA Times  

Many health experts are strongly recommending the public still wear masks even as the state lifted its order requiring them to be worn in indoor public spaces for vaccinated people. Even as California begins to loosen its mask requirements, some top health officials are strongly recommending the public still wear face coverings, saying the state’s earlier pandemic experiences illustrate the …

More COVID-19 rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead
2 years, 10 months ago

More COVID-19 rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead

LA Times  

Customers eat at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia on Feb. 16, 2022. The nation’s leading health officials said Wednesday that the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Philadelphia officials said Wednesday the city’s vaccine mandate for …

Don’t ditch your mask yet, California. You still need it in lots of places
2 years, 10 months ago

Don’t ditch your mask yet, California. You still need it in lots of places

LA Times  

A discarded box of face masks in downtown Los Angeles. California has lifted its universal indoor mask mandate, but there are still lots of places you’ll need to wear one. Almost everyone — vaccinated or not — will still have to wear a mask when: In a hospital, medical clinic, dialysis center, dentist’s office or any other place where healthcare …

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