Pasadena steps up enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions

After agreeing to continue to allow outdoor dining, Pasadena is stepping up enforcement of coronavirus rules and may consider further restrictions amid an increase in new cases and hospitalizations across the country. ‘State.

The city, which is one of two in Los Angeles County with its own health department, has decided not to follow the county’s ban on in-person eating at restaurants. Its city council chose this week to allow restaurants to remain open to foreign service, provided they take the necessary precautions. Council did not vote on the decision, after extensive discussion and public comment, but decided to reassess the situation daily, Pasadena City spokesperson Lisa Derderian said.

“The city has invested a lot of money and the restaurants have invested a lot of money in their heaters and their tents, so we’re trying very hard to work with them,” Derderian said.

But compliance has been mixed. Health inspectors made about 60 site visits on Wednesday and Thursday, and the majority of restaurants – more than 40 – were breaking the rules, she said.

“The most common violations included the lack of a face mask, poorly separated tables and closed dining rooms,” she said.

Follow-up inspections on Friday found that five of the restaurants had failed to take basic steps to correct the violations, and those places were closed for in-person meals and take-out and delivery services, said Derderian. Restaurants must go through a hearing and re-inspection before they can reopen, a process that is expected to take several days, she said.

“Each restaurant probably has between 30 and 40 employees who are now affected by this situation, so it impacts a lot of people by breaking the simple rules,” Derderian said.

The city’s management team plan to meet with its health worker and hospital officials on Monday to decide whether there is a need to change existing health orders, including ending al fresco dining.

“I hope we don’t get to this point, but it’s a possibility,” said Derderian. “This is where we need everyone to really know about their daily activities and care about each other, because it will affect a much larger audience if a few bad apples spoil the whole group.

Still, she said, city officials believe restaurants “represent a small percentage of the whole picture when it comes to COVID numbers.”

Large gatherings continue to be a problem, especially in the city’s many parks and outdoor spaces, Derderian said.

This weekend, the city is sending law enforcement teams of health inspectors and code compliance officers to parks and the Rose Bowl Loop to halt gatherings and draft citations if necessary, she declared.

Police will only be involved as a last resort “if it turns into non-compliance or any kind of confrontation,” she said.

“We want people to go out for their mental and physical well-being, but where we see these softball and football games happening, families are cheering their kids on while they play, without wearing masks, is banned, ”Derderian said. “So, unfortunately, we are going to stop these activities.”