Brief: Los Angeles County Restrictions Lifted

LA County to lift capacity limits on June 15, following state guidelines.

Last month, California officials announced the state will fully reopen without restrictions on June 15.

As the first state to officially shelter-in-place, California will convert to zero restrictions on indoor and outdoor capacity limits and physical distancing at restaurants and bars within the next three weeks. The color-coded system that was used to track the pandemic will no longer be used.

Government agencies shifted their stance concerning COVID-19 restrictions. In April, Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested a complete reopening on June 15. In early May, the CDC said that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks and social distancing, according to LA Eater.

After June 15, bars, restaurants, concert venues and grocery stores can operate at full capacity both indoors and outdoors. California will follow the CDC’s guidance for fully vaccinated people meaning they will not be required to wear masks except when using public transit, during flights and when visiting health care facilities. Physical distancing requirements will not be enforced at public and private events. Large venues, including sports arenas and performance stages, will no longer have capacity limits. However, vaccine verification or a negative test will be required for indoor events with more than 5,000 people and the vaccine verification or negative test will be recommended for outdoor events with 10,000 people or more. People traveling into the state will not be required to isolate or quarantine.

Until June 15, LA County restaurants will maintain its 50 percent capacity requirement both indoors and outdoors, along with six feet of distance between tables. Restaurant workers will continue to wear masks and face shields. For the first time in 15 months, Angelenos could see unmasked restaurant and bar employees.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly stated that California will no longer require any pandemic-related constraints, which moves the state into a full reopening, reports the LA Times.

Ghaly said to the LA Times, “I do think that there will be some businesses that decide to require some level of verification of vaccination in order to really have all of their patrons feel comfortable.”

— Erika Zuniga