The Los Angeles Post

From Gyms and Day Camps to Spectator-Free Professional Sports and Museums, L.A. County Moves to Reopen Key Sectors

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Los Angeles County is moving forward on the Roadmap to Recovery and reopening key economic and community sectors, including day camps, fitness centers, spectator-free professional sports, museums, campgrounds and entertainment production.

In the most comprehensive reopening since strict public health guidelines were put in place in March, today the Los Angeles Department of Public Health announced that the Health Officer Order will be modified tomorrow to include infection control and distancing requirements for re-opening the following sectors on June 12:

  • Gyms and fitness facilities
  • Professional sports without live audiences
  • Day camps
  • Museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums
  • Campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor recreation
  • Music, film and television production
  • Hotels, lodging and short-term rentals for tourism and individual travel

The County continues to monitor the spread of the virus and the capacity of the healthcare system to provide residents with essential services.

With these reopenings, Los Angeles County will be in Phase 3 of the State’s Resilience Roadmap.

However, this major step forward does not mean the threat of COVID-19 is gone. Residents must continue to practice physical distancing, wear cloth face coverings and follow public health directives.

If at any time, the County’s rate of infection and other key metrics demonstrate a rapid acceleration of new cases that threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system, the Department of Public Health and the Board of Supervisors may need to limit future re-openings or close reopened sectors.

Going to the gym, visiting a museum or going to camp will be very different than it was before the pandemic. Each sector reopening will have strict infection control directives in place.

Just as is required for all out-of-home activities, visitors and staff will have to practice physical distancing and wear cloth face coverings. There will be limited capacity and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures. People feeling sick should stay home

These additional re-openings follow other significant elements of the economy and community that have begun reopening and operating with limits and safeguards, including hair salons, barber shops, religious services, retail, restaurants, beaches and trails.

Still closed are nail salons, tattoo shops, bars and wineries, movie theaters, live performance theaters, entertainment centers, concert halls and venues, stadiums, arenas, gaming facilities, theme parks and festivals. Click here for a detailed list of what is open and closed in L.A. County.

Los Angeles County is still under a Safer At Work And In The Community order and public and private gatherings of people outside of a single household unit are not permitted except for public protests and faith-based services.

Everyone must continue to follow physical distancing and infection control protocols and wear a cloth face covering when in contact with others not from your household.

The plans for reopening are part of a phased progression that provides residents, employees and customers with safety protections to slow the spread of COVID-19.

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At a Glance: Highlights of the Guidelines for Reopening

Gyms and fitness facilities

  • Employees and customers will be screened for symptoms, including cough and fever. Gym-goers feeling unwell should reschedule their appointment.
  • Staff must wear a cloth face covering at all times.
  • Gym-goers must wear a cloth face covering when entering and exiting the gym and it is recommended that they be worn while exercising in the gym.
  • Physical distancing must be maintained and equipment may be rearranged to allow for that.
  • Reservations for time at the gym are recommended as occupancy will be limited.
  • Equipment must be cleaned before and after each use with provided disinfecting wipes or the gym must provide “ready to clean” tags for staff to clean equipment after each use.
  • Personal trainers must maintain six feet of distance from their clients and wear a face covering. Clients are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering while receiving instruction
  • Group training class sizes will be limited to ensure a minimum of six feet of physical distance between patrons. Group exercise classes can only be offered if distancing requirements can be maintained and there is no person to-person physical contact.
  • High contact programs that require close contact less than six feet in distance are not allowed.
  • Pools at fitness facilities may reopen once employees properly clean and disinfect for use in accordance with Center for Disease Control guidelines.
  • Saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs remain closed.

Day camps

  • Employees and campers will be screened for symptoms, including fever. Each campers’ temperature will be taken before camp begins. Campers feeling unwell should stay home.
  • Physical distancing measures will be in place.
  • Staff must wear cloth face coverings and campers are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings.
  • Outdoor activities are encouraged
  • Campers should bring their own meals, when possible.

Museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums

  • Interactive exhibits will be closed.
  • Capacity will be limited.
  • Tours and live presentations in confined areas, such as an animal show, must only include members of the same household.

Campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor recreation

  • Plan ahead. Make reservations and purchase permits, firewood, ice and other items online or by phone before arriving on site.
  • Be prepared to be as self-contained and self-sufficient as possible. Bring everything you may need, including soap, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, paper towels/hand towels, and toilet paper. Bring your own sports equipment, towels, first aid supplies, and other items needed for outdoor recreation, whenever possible.
  • Visitors should bring plastic tablecloths for picnic tables that can be disposed of or taken back home for washing.
  • Set up your campsite or picnic areas with maximum distance from adjacent campsites and picnic sites that host people from different households.
  • Many programs and facilities will be canceled or closed, so visitors should check online resources for updated information about rule changes and closures to know what to expect upon arrival. Playgrounds and other common spaces will be closed.
  • Leave furniture, such as picnic tables and chairs, where they were found as park staff may have appropriately spaced these items to encourage physical distancing.
  • Pack up what you pack in to keep campsite staff safe.

Professional sports without live audiences

  • All staff will be required to wear masks, follow physical distancing guidelines and be screened for symptoms before work.
  • Athletes and staff must not have had signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days or close contact with anyone who is sick within 14 days of beginning group training.
  • Athletes must wear face coverings at all times other than while exercising.
  • Physical distancing should be practiced to the extent possible on the field/in-game play and in training, though guidelines may be adjusted subject to limitations of competition and the fundamentals of certain sports.
  • Broadcasters will have to practice physical distancing and camera placements will be different than pre-COVID-19.

Hotels, lodging and short-term rentals for tourism and individual travel)

  • Employees, including housekeeping, must wear face coverings and limit touching guests’ belongings.
  • Guests will be screened for symptoms. People experiencing symptoms will not be allowed an overnight stay. Guests who feel sick should not travel or stay in a hotel.
  • Stringent cleaning and laundry protocols will be in place to protect staff and guests.
  • Reusable materials in rooms, such as magazines, menus and local attraction details, will be removed.
  • Rooms should be left vacant 24 to 72 hours after a guest has departed for proper cleaning.
  • In the event of a presumptive case of COVID-19, the guest’s room will be removed from service and quarantined. In the event of a positive case, the room should only be returned to service after undergoing a deep cleaning in accordance with Center for Disease Control guidelines.
  • Property managers, timeshare operators, and other rental unit owners and operators must only rent unoccupied units and cannot rent rooms or spaces within an occupied residence.
  • Saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs will remain closed.

Schools and school-based programs

  • Students and staff should wear face coverings during all educational activities at school or on a bus.
  • Students and staff should engage in physical distancing at all times.
  • Schools will be taking the temperature of students and staff before they enter the campus.
  • The Los Angeles County Office of Education released additional information earlier this week.