Originally published on May 29, 2020
Los Angeles County restaurants have the greenlight to reopen for dine-in service, and hair salons and barbershops can also resume service. The order is effective immediately, which means restaurants can open as soon as tonight.
That’s a result of L.A. County receiving word from the state today that its request for a “local variance,” which allows more businesses to reopen, had been approved.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, who leads the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said at a press conference on Friday afternoon that county officials would not require restaurants to submit to any sort of inspection prior to reopening. She asked that restaurants adhere to the protocols posted on the county’s website, but no one will check whether or not restaurants follow the guidelines.
“We’ve asked that everybody look at [and] adhere to the protocols,” Ferrer said. “We’re hoping the protocols are a really good tool for the restaurants to use. This is like the honor system because we’re all in this together.”
At that same press conference, L.A. County supervisor Kathryn Barger said Jerry Greenberg, one of the owners of the Sugarfish chain of restaurants, will deliver a roadmap for restaurant reopening on June 2. Greenberg serves on the county’s Economic Resiliency Task Force, which includes 40 experts from various sectors, including the hospitality industry.
The plan — based on a slew of potential safeguards and restrictions the state released a couple of weeks ago — will likely recommend that restaurants keep tables six feet apart and, if they can’t do that, install physical barriers between tables. It may also include recommendations to limit the number of patrons.
Restaurants can also apply to set up tables on sidewalks, streets, parking spots and parking lots, allowing them to expand their footprints and allow for more al fresco dining.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will likely address the status of restaurants, barbershops and hair salons in the City of L.A. at his Friday afternoon briefing.
We’ll add more details as we get them.
— ELINA SHATKIN
This report is reprinted with permission from Southern California Public Radio. © 2020 Southern California Public Radio. All rights reserved.
