While local, county and state officials have renewed social distancing restrictions amid a surge of COVID-19, and are warning that continued high levels of transmission will trigger further restrictions, authorities have not made any moves to rescind waivers that have allowed 10 private schools in Pasadena to reopen for kindergarten through 2nd grade instruction, officials said Monday.
State officials enacted a nighttime stay-at-home order on Saturday that’s in effect statewide from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Dec. 21.
As case counts continued to climb, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Sunday announced it would be shutting down outdoor dining at restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries, effective Wednesday.
Pasadena Public Health Department officials were still determining whether the city would follow suit on Monday afternoon, said city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.
Pasadena Director of Public Health Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said she was hopeful that further restrictions would not be needed, but said she could not rule them out, depending on the spread of the virus.
“All restrictions would be considered, but we hope that the limited steps taken so far will reduce covid transmission and that people will follow the guidance and advisories from the state and locally,” she said. The guidance includes not traveling out of state or country, avoiding gatherings, self-quarantining for 14 days after traveling, or attending large gatherings,” Goh said.
“The steps being taken now are in an effort to prevent worse surges and prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed,” Goh said. “If everyone is able to help in this effort, the measures can be effective, and we would be able to prevent further restrictions.”
All school reopening waivers require approval from state officials, in addition to the Pasadena Public Health Department, according to Goh. Depending on the path taken by the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential for state officials to alter the waiver process remains a possibility.
City officials announced Monday that the city’s 10th private campus, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School, had completed the process to begin a limited reopening.
The Pasadena Unified School District has not yet sought waivers to reopen any of its campuses. Some programs, such as programs for students with high need and athletic conditioning, which had been scheduled to resume this week, were canceled last week due to the viral surge, PUSD officials said.
And while a Jan. 11 date had previously been discussed as a possibility for reopening PUSD schools, “Due to the current COVID-19 surge and actions taken by the governor to mitigate the spread of the virus, we will need to remain flexible about our target date of mid-January to begin the gradual return of students to campuses,” PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald said in a letter to district parents.
“The return date depends on the status of COVID-19 rates in Los Angeles County by mid-December,” McDonald wrote.
See also:
Another Private School Receives Waiver
Three More Private Schools Receive Waivers