New City Health Order Doubles Down On Requirements For Care Providers

LONG BEACH, CA — City officials announced Tuesday, a new health order that took effect Monday doubled down on vaccine and mask requirements for Long Beach healthcare professionals.

While Long Beach's COVID-19 emergency proclamation ended on Feb. 21 this year, city health authorities said removing protections in healthcare settings would be premature, citing a spike in COVID cases during summer every year since 2020.

The new health order for healthcare personnel includes:

• A requirement for healthcare professionals to wear a well-fitted mask or respirator while providing care or working in patient care areas;
• A requirement for healthcare professionals to be fully vaccinated with the COVID vaccine and have at least one booster unless there are religious or medical exemptions

Patients aren't required to wear masks, but city officials said it was recommended.

Both of the requirements will be up for reassessment at the end of September pending updated Food and Drug Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines according to Long Beach health authorities.

Officials also revised existing isolation orders that state:

• People who test positive for COVID may stop isolating after five days if they are asymptomatic or are fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication. Negative tests are not necessary if the conditions are met.
• Masks should be worn for 10 days following a positive COVID test result around other people.
• Masks can be removed after day five if a person tests negative for the virus on two consecutive days with two separate tests.
• If symptoms worsen during isolation, individuals should test again and restart the isolation period if they test positive.

The Long Beach Health Department advised residents to remain cautious, especially medically vulnerable residents who are particularly at risk.

"Vaccines and boosters have been proven safe and effective and continue to offer significant protection against serious illness and death related to COVID-19," city health authorities said in a statement.