SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California has paved the way for fans to reach the stands at opening day baseball games and return to Disneyland nearly a year after coronavirus restrictions covered important entertainment venues.
On Friday, the state relaxed guidelines for reopening outdoor venues, while the fall and winter growth seemed to end, COVID-19 infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths declining and vaccination rates rising.
The new public health rules would allow live concerts in stadiums and sports arenas to reopen with limited participation. 1 April. Also, the reopening of amusement parks in the counties that have fallen from the state’s purple level – the most restrictive – to the red level will be allowed.
In all cases, the capacity of the park will be limited and COVID-19 safety rules, such as the requirements for wearing a mask, will apply.
The move followed a landmark week, with California speeding up vaccinations for the poorest neighborhoods, counties reopening more companies, and Gov. Gavin Newsom passed a measure to encourage schools that restricted students from learning online to reopen classrooms this month .
“The constant openness is consistent with the data. As cases decline, we want to return to work and school, ”said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a clinical professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California. “Outdoor activities, in particular, have always had a low risk. Opening these sites makes sense. ”
The reopening can’t come too soon for Kenny King Jr., a San Francisco Bay Area Pleasant Hill resident who became an annual Disneyland owner a decade ago. He usually takes his family to the Southern California park five times a year, but the last visit was just over a year after his birthday.
King, 38, lives, said he is excited to be back with his 8-year-old daughter, who had just started enjoying rides like the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain, and taking her elderly son. for 2 years, who was fascinated by the lights and sounds when he visited last year.
“That’s what we just did to our family – Disney trips,” King said. “Sometimes we’ll stay home and be like, man, I just miss Disneyland.” ”
They also applauded the thousands of workers who were laid off by Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm and other large locations. Ten thousand lost their jobs at Disneyland and its related attractions in Orange County alone, not to mention the knock-on effect of nearby restaurants and hotels.
Andrea Zinder, president of the United Workers’ Union for Food and Commerce, representing Disney workers, said employees are “excited to return to work and give Californians a little more magic in their lives.”
Most of the major theme parks are in Southern California, which is still in the purple category. However, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties were expected to reopen in the next few weeks as their COVID-19 numbers decline.
Only 16 of the 58 counties are currently in the red level, and two small counties are in the orange level. None is yet in the yellow level, the smallest and least restrictive.
Red theme parks will be limited to a capacity of 15%.
Outdoor sports will be limited to 100 people in the purple level, but will increase to 67% in the yellow level.
The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A have announced that they will have fans in the stands for the opening day of April 1. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are starting their season on the road and have said they will announce their plans later.
Teams and event organizers can sell regional tickets only in the purple category. At other levels, teams and organizers can sell tickets to anyone living in California. Concessions at the purple level will not be allowed, while in others, concession sales will be available only at venues.
Richard Haick from San Pablo, California, has already bought tickets for the return of Oakland A and hopes to take his 10-year-old son to a game soon. His son plays Little League baseball and is very excited to participate in the games.
“It’s nice to have a feeling of normalcy, even in a small capacity,” said Haick, a 45-year-old photographer.
The faster reopening rate is linked to a new vaccination plan for California’s most vulnerable residents. Once 2 million people in 400 postcodes in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods receive at least one dose of vaccine, it will be easier for counties to leave the most restrictive level in the state. Once 4 million people in these neighborhoods are vaccinated, the counties will be able to open even more.
Everything puts California in a drastically different position than a year ago, when Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a state order at home that restricted travel, closed businesses and forced millions to remain unemployed. California still has some of the toughest restrictions in any state and continues to discourage out-of-state visitors.
The state has high hopes of a complete reopening of sufficient inoculation of the 40 million inhabitants to stop widespread COVID-19 infections.
More than 10 million doses had been given just three months after the first administration, the Department of Public Health said.
Just over 3 million people have been completely vaccinated, or about 10% of the population aged 16 and over.
There are signs of hope. This week, the seven-day average rate of positive test results fell to 2.2% this week, a record high.
Although pressure has developed for the reopening of the economy, health officials said the changes in guidelines were more cautious and measured than a broad approach.
“We will … keep our feet on the brakes, not on the gas, with our eyes on the road, our hands on the wheel, and navigate based on data and science,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of State for Health and Human Services. Service agency.
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Associated Press writer Janie Har of San Francisco contributed to this story.