LONG BEACH, Calif. — The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has issued an updated health order, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2021, requiring facial coverings at outdoor mega events, regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking; requiring vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before an event starts for indoor gatherings with 1,000 or more participants or spectators; incorporating prior California Department of Public Health (CDPH) orders; and expanding the health care worker vaccine requirement to dental workers and home health care workers.

“We continue to follow the science, and these changes allow for events and businesses to continue to operate while reducing the transmission of this deadly virus,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.

The City of Long Beach continues to see a rise in daily cases and hospitalizations, especially among unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people. Over the past month, the city has seen a 100% increase in average daily cases. The current case rate is 35.5 per 100,000 residents, up from 8.5 per 100,000 on July 15. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in area hospitals have increased from 37 to 138 in the past four weeks. These trends are similar to those reported by Los Angeles County. In addition, the CDC lists Los Angeles County, including Long Beach, as an area of “high” virus transmission.

The delta variant, which is more highly transmissible, is now the dominant strain in California, including in Southern California, comprising over 80% of new cases. This variant is much more highly transmissible. Whereas the average person with the original strain of COVID-19 would infect 2.5 others, on average, in the same environment, a person infected with the delta variant could infect nearly seven other people.

The new Health Order, available at longbeach.gov/covid19, will require:

• Face coverings for everyone older than two years old at outdoor mega events, such as food festivals, car shows, marathons, parades, sporting events and concerts that attract crowds of 10,000 or more 
• Proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before an event starts, for indoor mega events, which is reduced from 5,000 or more participants or spectators to 1,000 or more persons, effective September 20, 2021
• Continues to require face coverings for everyone older than two years old in all indoor spaces, including indoor mega events 
• Continues to require face masks of all individuals in indoor public settings. 
  • Indoor public settings include: 
    • Common areas and shared spaces in multi-family housing and lodging facilities (e.g. hotels, motels, shared rental units and other similar facilities) 
    • Offices
    • Retail
    • Restaurants, bars, pubs and breweries when not eating or drinking
    • Theaters
    • Family entertainment centers, gyms and fitness centers
    • Meeting spaces
    • State and local government offices serving the public

The new Health Order also incorporates:

• The July 26, 2021 order of the state public health officer, which requires additional statewide facility-directed measures to protect particularly vulnerable populations in hospitals, acute health care and long-term care settings, high-risk congregate settings and other health care settings.
• The August 5, 2021 order of the state public health officer, which requires additional statewide facility-directed measures to protect particularly vulnerable populations from visitors during indoor visitations at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities.
• The August 5, 2021 order of the state public health officer, which requires additional statewide measures to protect particularly vulnerable populations by requiring workers who provide services or work in certain health care facilities to have their first dose of a one-dose regimen COVID-19 vaccine or their second dose of a two-dose regimen COVID-19 vaccine by September 30, 2021. This order shall additionally apply any requirements in the state public health officer order of August 5, 2021 titled “Health Care Worker Vaccine Requirement” to dental workers and home health care workers. 
• The August 11, 2021 order of the state public health officer, which requires additional statewide measures to protect particularly vulnerable populations by verifying vaccination status among eligible private and public K-12 school workers, and establishes diagnostic screening testing of unvaccinated workers to minimize the risk that they will transmit while on K-12 school campuses, where a majority of students are not vaccinated and younger students are not yet eligible for vaccines.

Businesses, individuals and venue operators or hosts of mega outdoor events and all public indoor settings must require patrons to wear face-coverings, regardless of vaccination status, and post signage at entry points communicating the masking requirement for all patrons.

Additionally, the City will require that staff and spectators at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, scheduled for September 24-26, 2021 — one of the largest special events in California — to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter, and masking for all individuals will be required.

Vaccine clinics take place six days per week across Long Beach and mobile vaccine vans can visit those who are unable to travel to a city vaccine site. The vaccine clinic schedule is posted in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog at longbeach.gov/vaxlb. People also may call 562.570.4636 or email Covid19Vaccine@longbeach.gov for assistance.

This action was put in place by the City Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, and in accordance with the emergency powers granted to the city manager through the proclamation of local emergency. It is effective from 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 19, until it is extended, rescinded or amended in writing by the health officer.

On Tuesday, August 24, the health department will update the city council regarding COVID-19 infections in the city, as well as potential vaccine requirements.

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the city of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. People may also visit longbeach.gov/COVID19data for up to date information regarding cases and vaccines in Long Beach.