California Governor Gavin Newsom announced additional business closures on Monday, July 13, in response to COVID-19 positivity rate increases throughout the state.
As of July 13, California has implemented new mandatory closures for the following type of businesses in LA County:
- Gyms and Fitness Centers
- Places of Worship
- Indoor Protests
- Offices for Non-Critical Infrastructure Sectors as identified at covid19.ca.gov
- Personal Care Services (including nail salons, massage parlors, and tattoo parlors)
- Hair Salons and Barbershops
- Malls
The closures are in addition to restrictions on indoor operations for restaurants, wineries, and some entertainment facilities that were announced on July 1. Those initial restrictions were enacted for specific counties on the County Monitoring List, including LA County, but are now being implemented state-wide.
“Due to increased COVID-19 transmissions statewide and rising hospitalization numbers in many communities, we are taking more actions today to slow transmissions of the disease,” said Governor Newsom.
Outdoor dining and take-out for restaurants in LA County continues to be permitted, but bars without any food service must remain closed.
“Public health studies have shown that the risk of transmission is exacerbated in indoor spaces, particularly when lacking appropriate ventilation. These sectors are settings where groups convene and may mix with others for a prolonged period of time, increasing the risk of escalating the transmission rate of COVID-19,” according the California Department of Public Health Office of Public Affairs.
Per the CA Public Health Office, the new closure orders “will remain in effect until the State Public Health Officer determines it is appropriate to modify the order based on public health conditions.”
Small businesses who need help implementing or understanding any guidelines can visit https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/ for more specific information, or call the SBDC at (866) 588-SBDC to schedule a no-cost appointment with a business advisor.
