California Department of Public Health officials gave Los Angeles County the OK Friday morning to reopen restaurants for in-person dining and allow barbershops and hair salons to resume offering services, with social distancing requirements.

L.A. County requested a variance from the state on Wednesday. Most other California counties have already reopened dining rooms for in-person dining and barbershops and hair salons following social distancing guidelines.

The county said by following its Roadmap to Recovery it had met the criteria for reopening set by the state department of Public Health, and state officials agreed.

L.A. County demonstrated that it has controlled the spread of the virus, and is protecting residents and essential workers. Hospital testing and contact tracing capacity are appropriate in response to the outbreak.

The county is now in the advanced stages of Phase 2 of the state’s Resilience Roadmap.

This new phase of reopening aligns L.A. County more closely with neighboring counties, moving Southern California toward a regional recovery.

“We are allowing local decision-making to go into effect but it’s conditioned on plans that have to be attested to by local, county, electeds, and local health officials and through a process of engagement with the state,” Governor Gavin Newsom said.

“Today’s announcement by the state represents monumental progress for Los Angeles County as we join the vast majority of other regions in California on the path toward reopening and recovery,” said Kathryn Barger, chair of the County Board of Supervisors.

“This approval by the State enables the county to immediately allow for the safe reopening of in-person dining, hair salons, and barbershops — further bringing our communities together and resuming to a sense of normalcy,” said Barger, who represents the county’s Fifth District, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley.

“Our ability to continue on the path of reopening will depend on our adherence to physical distancing and face-covering guidelines to ensure we are able to protect the public health of our residents,” she said. “I am grateful to our state and local partners for their collaboration in helping us transition to being Safer at Work and Safer in our Communities.”

“It’s official! L.A. County can reopen restaurants for in-person dining, and resume services at barbershops/hair salons,” Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth tweeted just before noon Friday. “Big thanks to @kathrynbarger @SupJaniceHahn for taking up @santaclarita efforts and expanding it to all of L.A. County.”

Threat is Not Over
However, this step forward doesn’t mean the threat of COVID-19 is gone. Residents must continue to practice physical distancing, wear cloth face coverings and follow public health guidelines in place, according to the Department of Public Health.

If at any time, the county’s rate of infection and other key metrics return to unsafe numbers, Public Health can limit or close reopened sectors.

“We are only able to take this important step forward because everyone did their part. As we move along in our progress to reopen, let’s continue to keep our guard up. This highly contagious virus hasn’t disappeared; it is still out there, imposing a real threat to our communities. We cannot go back to business as usual,” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis.

“I urge everyone to continue doing their part by abiding by physical distancing and face-covering requirements and by adhering to our new public health directives for reopened businesses,” Solis said.

“While our measure to reopen will provide economic relief to our workers and small businesses, extreme caution must be taken to prevent another spike in confirmed cases and fatalities,” Solis said. “We must remember that our communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and they will likely continue to bear the brunt if the coronavirus comes back with a vengeance.”

“This is a fine line that we’re walking in the county of Los Angeles,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “We are threading the needle between keeping the public safe and allowing our economy to reopen.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and we all should do our part to help them stay open safely,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said. “But we are absolutely not out of the woods yet, so we must continue to protect our health and those of everyone around us. Following public health directives is critical as we go back to work, dine in at our favorite restaurants, and make that long-awaited trip to the barber or salon.”

“Like my colleagues, I am happy that so many will return to work and familiar activities. Still, I cannot overemphasize the importance of the public’s role in making these next steps a success,” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said. “People must continue to physically distance, wear face covers, and wash their hands often. If not, our cases and hospitalizations are likely to rise dramatically, forcing us to consider reducing access in order to protect public health.”

New Guidelines
Dining in restaurants and getting a haircut will be a different experience than we’re used to. Just as is required for all out-of-home activities, clients and staff will have to practice physical distancing and wear cloth face coverings. There will be limited capacity and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

Key, specific guidelines for customers at hair salons, barbershops and in-person restaurant dining are below:

Barbershops and hair salons

* Physical distancing measures will be in place.

* Employees and customers will be screened for symptoms, including cough and fever. Clients feeling unwell should reschedule their appointment.

* Everyone, including clients, must wear cloth face coverings while in the salon or barber shop and clients are encouraged to wear face coverings with earloops to ensure the face covering does not interfere with the hair service.

* Magazines, coffee and other amenities will not be available.

* Clients are encouraged to use credit cards and contactless payment systems. If electronic or card payment is not possible, customers should come with exact cash payment or check, if available.

* Stylists may only serve one client at a time.

For the detailed protocols visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/.

Personal grooming that is still closed, or prohibited, at this time:

* Nail salons

* Spa services, including massage, facials and waxing

In-person dining in restaurants

* Physical distancing measures will be in place.

* Employees and customers will be screened for symptoms, including cough and fever. Patrons feeling unwell should not eat at a restaurant.

* Outdoor seating and curbside pickup are prioritized.

* Reservations will be encouraged.

* Customers will be asked to wait for their table in their cars or outside the restaurant to prevent crowds from gathering.

* Diners must wear cloth face coverings when not eating.

* Bar areas will be closed.

* Occupancy capacity will be limited to 60% for the next three weeks.

For the detailed protocol visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/.

Los Angeles County is 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, which are permitted to operate with limits on the number of participants.

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

Still closed are:

* Gyms and fitness centers

* Beach piers

* Indoor entertainment venues including arcades, bowling alleys, movie theaters, live performance theaters, concert halls, stadiums, arenas, theme parks, gaming facilities and festivals

* Indoor museums, galleries and zoos

Click here for a detailed list of what’s open and closed in L.A. County.

The new openings are part of a phased progression guiding the safe resumption of public life in L.A. County, including the resumption and reopenings of in-person faith-based services, in-store shopping at retail stores, bike paths, drive-in movies and other recreational pursuits.

Public Health will amend its Health Officer Order accordingly.