Masks will be required indoors at City facilities, public meetings to revert to Hybrid In-person/Zoom Format and employees will need to be vaccinated or participate in regular COVID-19 testing to slow the spread of the disease
Due to a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases throughout the region and nation and following guidance from the State of California and the County of Orange, the City of Laguna Beach is taking steps to further protect the health and well-being of employees and the community and help slow the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
After careful consideration, the City is implementing the following measures:
- Effective immediately, all City Council, Commission and Board meetings will revert to the Hybrid In-person/Zoom format where members of the public will only be allowed to enter to make public comments while wearing a face covering and exit the room after making their comments. Plexiglass will be placed on the City Council dais to allow vaccinated members of the City Council, Commissions, and Boards to participate in person, if desired, six feet apart without face coverings.
- Effective August 3, 2021, masks are required inside all City facilities for everyone, when in contact with City employees or members of the public and for all employees who share work areas without separation barriers, regardless of vaccination status.
- Effective later this month, we are planning to require that all City employees be fully vaccinated or participate in free weekly COVID-19 testing. The logistics and details of this plan are currently under development.
“These additional measures will help protect the health and safety of the public and our employees against the spread of COVID-19,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen. “I want to thank the 70% of Laguna Beach City staff members who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 and strongly encourage those who have not been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible to protect their health and the health and safety of others.”
Plexiglass safety partitions remain in place at all City Hall customer service counters and an enhanced City Hall check-in system for visitors will remain for the time being in City Council Chambers.
City officials are encouraging the community to follow the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health that everyone wear a mask in all indoor public settings, even if they have been vaccinated.
To find an available vaccine appointment near you, go to www.vaccinefinder.org.