The sun is out, the surf is in place and California is reopening more widely

April brings another breath of warm spring air after a flawed year of coronavirus shutdowns. It could also trigger a spring fever strain that was dormant after Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed the first statewide lockdown last March.

“After about a year of being hidden indoors, no one knows how to behave when they go out in public,” cartoon portrait painter Walt Davis said Wednesday as she waited for clients near the Santa Monica Pier. “It was crazy. People are going out in public and going crazy right now. “

April arrives with COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths down and new infections remain low. Vaccines are more widely open Thursday – to people 50 and over – although supplies remain limited.

But health officials still urge caution to avoid a fourth wave of the pandemic sweeping through much of the United States and other parts of the world.

Dr George Rutherford, an epidemiologist at the University of California at San Francisco, said the state was in better shape than others because 12 million people had received at least one dose of the vaccine and there was quite a lot of immunity – with about 37%. of people in Los Angeles County who have been infected.

“California has a chance. I think we have a good chance of beating the fourth wave, ”said Rutherford. “We are much more conservative in (easing) restrictions. We are therefore progressing very slowly through the levels, unlike other states which have put caution to the wind. “

Nearly half of California’s 40 million people live in areas where restrictions are easing to some extent and some of the larger counties are gearing up to allow more people to watch movies in theaters, attend at church services or dinner at a restaurant.

Los Angeles County, with a quarter of the state’s population and 40% of deaths, was approved on Tuesday to upgrade to orange level – the second lowest – but chose to wait another week for itself make sure he holds the line. new infections.

Neighboring Orange County, the third most populous in the state with 3 million people, immediately joined that level, allowing restaurants, theaters, museums and places of worship to allow people inside to 50 % of their capacity. Bars that do not serve food may operate outside.

While Orange County officials announced a new vaccination site at the county fairground on Wednesday, they also cautioned against dropping face masks or mingling too closely with people outside the home.

“Every day that we can postpone any bad news to come, it’s another day that we need to immunize more people,” said supervisor Doug Chaffee. “It really is the best defense we have.”

With the arrival of April comes much of the state basking in summer temperatures for a week that is spring break for many students who have been locked up and learned from home. Those two factors and the wider reopening that includes a recent return to indoor dining resulted in a mini tourist boom on the beaches of Southern California on Wednesday.

In Huntington Beach, aka “Surf City USA,” which has hosted protests against coronavirus shutdowns and mask warrants, people walked downtown in swimsuits and shorts and – sometimes – face masks . They took towels and beach chairs as temperatures soared in the 80s.

Colorful umbrellas doted Santa Monica Beach, and hundreds of people stood in the cool waters near the pier as heads-up waves rolled onto the shore. Tourists from far and near have flocked to the picturesque pier which has been closed during much of the pandemic, lining up outside restaurants which still have limited capacity.

Morgan Reliford said business has been strong at Blazing Saddles, where she has rented more than 120 bikes at 2 p.m.

Reliford, who wore a mask and purple rubber gloves, said she felt things were reopening too quickly for her comfort.

“I feel like we’re bored and frustrated to be in the house that we’re rushing around a bit,” she said.

Thursday marks the opening of the day for Major League Baseball with games in Oakland, Anaheim and San Diego in front of fans for the first time in California since 2019.

The San Diego Padres will be limited to 20% seat capacity, as the second largest county is in the red tier. If LA steps up to orange next week, the Dodgers in World Series defense can stage their home opener on April 9 with a third of the stadium full.

The arrival of April is also the first day that theme parks will be able to operate, although they are limited to 15% of their capacity and masks will be required.

In addition to the Santa Cruz Promenade Park, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and Legoland in Carlsbad are reopening.

Junior Simental, a state prison guard who waited with his family to be called for a table at a restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier, said his family was eager to hit the theme parks.

“We’re going to do them all: Six Flags, Disneyland, Universal (Studios),” Simental said. “As soon as we get the chance.”