Story by Eddie Zhou
Staff Writer
Photo by Oscar Walsh
Staff Photographer
California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a revised order requiring the immediate closure of moderate-risk businesses after a recent uptake in coronavirus cases — effective Monday, Jul. 13. Additionally, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced its plans to hold instruction strictly online come August in a joint statement with San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) on Jul. 13.
Gyms, places of worship, bars, indoor dining, malls, hair salons, and barbershops are affected by the order, although bars and restaurants may continue to serve food outdoors and offer takeout. Many of these businesses were initially allowed to reopen with certain social distancing measures on Friday, Jun. 12.
L.A. County has averaged 2,816 new coronavirus cases per day over the past seven days, an increase from the 2,445 seven-day average daily cases two weeks ago. South Pasadena currently has 188 confirmed cases and 23 deaths, 32 more cases than Tuesday, Jun. 30.
Despite the rise in cases, LAUSD committed to a return to in-person instruction later in the 2020-2021 school year. This announcement sets a precedent for SPUSD, although Superintendent Geoff Yantz notified parents that the decision for physical campus reopenings will not be made until after the school board finalizes an instructional model. However, the district is still considering a hybrid model in accordance with recommended safety guidelines provided by infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Smit.
School board members will review feedback from the latest community outreach survey and determine a hybrid learning model at their next meeting on Thursday, Jul. 16.
