As coronavirus cases continue to rise, officials across Southern California have chosen to close the vast majority of beaches over the July 4 weekend for fear that holiday crowds may worsen the already critical outbreak. of the state.
Los Angeles County was the first to decide to close its coasts. Initially, many Orange County communities seemed prepared to keep the beaches open. But as vacations approached and other business sectors in the region were forced to close amid a worrying rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, several changed their minds.
Orange County officials announced Wednesday the closure of bars, pubs, breweries, and breweries that do not offer dinner meals. Under county order, establishments may serve alcohol only in the same transaction as a meal.
“While we would prefer not to close bars at this time, many of our neighboring counties have closed their bars, and it is important to take precautions to ensure the safety of the general public,” said Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Michelle Steel.
Less than two hours after the county issued its new order, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Orange County, along with 18 other counties, bars must be closed immediately and restaurant operations must cease, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums and game rooms. The new rules will remain in effect for at least three weeks, Newsom said.
Los angeles county
Los Angeles County will close its beaches beginning Friday and will ban fireworks in response to the alarming increase in coronavirus cases.
All public beaches, piers, public beach parking lots, beach bike paths “through the sanded part of the beach” and beach access points will be closed from 12:01 am Friday until 5 am Monday.
The lifeguard towers will be closed, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Pono Barnes. He added that about 100 lifeguards will be on duty, with 50 patrolling trucks at any given time.
“It would not be the scene you would normally see on a weekend, but we will make sure that beach customers are following the advice of the Department of Public Health, as well as providing water coverage and life safety services,” he said. Barnes.
The fireworks ban also applies to the entire weekend of July 4.
Ventura County
Ventura County’s beaches will be closed over the weekend, county health officials said Tuesday.
Beaches, beach parking lots and restrooms will close Friday through Monday to discourage meetings that could lead to the spread of the virus, authorities said.
orange county
In addition to a handful of city beach closings, a dozen county-operated beaches and beach parking lots will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
These stretches of coastline include Aliso Beach, Capistrano Beach, Salt Creek Beach, Baby Beach, Bayside Beach, Camel Point Beach, Poche Beach, Strands Beach, Table Rock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach, Treasure Island Beach, and West Street Beach.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is closing its beaches from 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Sunday after two first responders tested positive for COVID-19 and 23 were quarantined.
Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said his division is still adequately staffed, but that it would “stretch quite a bit.”
Of the quarantine rescuers, one shows symptoms of COVID-19 and has not yet been tested.
“I cannot, in good conscience, add more to our life jackets,” Mayor Will O’Neill said at an emergency City Council meeting Wednesday to approve the closure. “We simply cannot responsibly ask our first responders to do more with less. We just can’t. “
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach will close its beaches, beach parking lots, and pier on Saturday.
“The potential, if we are the only open beach, to be flooded certainly exists,” city manager Oliver Chi said at a council meeting called quickly a few hours after Newport’s. “We don’t want that situation.”
Councilwoman Barbara Delgleize said she received numerous emails from residents who wanted to close the beaches over the weekend, a change in tone from about a month ago.
She referred to a time when the curtains separated the smoking and non-smoking sections on airplanes, “and closed the curtain as if that would keep it away.”
“I think we do that in Orange County,” he said. “LA is right next door. How is the wind blowing, for heaven’s sake?
Lagoon beach
Laguna Beach officials this week decided to close city-operated beaches entirely from 9 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday. The city had previously canceled its fireworks show in an effort to reduce crowds, but decided to close the beach to prevent groups of people from gathering and possibly spreading the virus.
“Particularly on July 4, when there were fireworks … it looked like sardines in a can,” said Prov Mayor Steve Dicterow. “There was no space between people. My concern is that even without fireworks, there can be a high density of people on the beaches. “
Seal beach
On Wednesday, Seal Beach followed through with its own decision to close beaches, beach parking lots, volleyball courts, pier, and restrooms. The services will reopen on Sunday morning, but the city may extend the shutdown “if the reopening is believed to be detrimental to the health of the community,” city officials said in a press release.
San Diego County
Oceanside will close beach parking lots from 8 am Friday to 8 am Monday, city director Deanna Lorson said Wednesday.
The decision came just hours after Newsom announced that all state beach parking lots would be closed during the three-day vacation weekend.
In Carlsbad, a city official said Wednesday that the city had no plans to close lots, and that no other coastal city in San Diego County had announced a decision until Wednesday night. All of the county’s beaches remain open for surfing, swimming, and other activities, but the guidelines remain in place to use face covers when close to each other and to avoid groups of unfamiliar members.
San Diego Union-Tribune writer Phil Diehl contributed to this report. Davis and Nguyen write for the Times Community News.
