Los Angeles reopens beaches, but sunbathing’s out. What else is forbidden?

Los Angeles County reopened its beaches Wednesday after being closed for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic, but not for everyone, media outlets reported.

Beachgoers are permitted if they’re engaged in activities such as walking, swimming or surfing, but sunbathing, picnicking and playing volleyball, among other things, are not allowed, ABC7 reported, citing the Department of Beaches and Harbors.

Beach parking lots, piers, boardwalks, and bike paths are still closed, according to ABC7.

People are required to wear face coverings except when in the water and to maintain physical distance, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Other businesses in Los Angeles County, including book stores, florists, and clothing stores were allowed to reopen with curbside service only on Friday, according to The Los Angeles Times. But some businesses were not following the reopening guidelines, the Times reported.

“Everyone wants to know when life will go back to normal. The truth is we’re not moving past COVID-19, we’re learning to live with it and take gradual steps forward,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted on Tuesday. “Our Safer at Home order will remain beyond May 15, but will be adjusted to let more people get back to work safely.”

On Tuesday, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that Los Angeles County’s stay-at-home order will likely be extended through July, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Reopening will be slow due to the rising deaths and cases in the county, Ferrer told the Los Angeles Times.

There were 1,264 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to The Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles region has 34,428 total cases and a death toll of 1,659, including 47 new fatalities.

Ferrer said the stay-at-home order would be extended unless there was “dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand,” ABC7 reported.

California Governor Gavin Newsom allowed restaurants and malls to open in counties designated as meeting certain requirements for containing the virus, ABC7 reported.

Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Sutter Tuolumne and Yuba counties have been approved to open dine-in restaurants and shopping malls, according to ABC7.

According to ABC7, counties are allowed to reopen if they meet these requirements: only one COVID-19 case per 10,000 residents in the past 14 days, no COVID-19 deaths in the past 14 days, essential workers have PPE, a minimum of 1.5 tests per 100,000 residents being conducted daily, at least 15 contact tracers per 100,000 residents, able to temporarily house 15% of the county’s homeless population, hospitals are can handle a 35% surge at minimum, nursing facilities have a two-week supply of PPE, and continue to monitor to re-enact restrictions.

Urban areas like Los Angeles will likely be slower to reopen than more rural parts of the state, according to The Los Angeles Times.

This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 3:25 PM.