Places of Worship Still Prohibited But Golf Courses May Now Reopen
On Saturday, April 18, 2020, the Ventura County Health Department issued an update to their Stay-Well-At-Home order that relaxes some of the lockdown rules. The number of people allowed to staff online religious streaming services was updated from 7 to 10 people. Groups of less than 6 people are now allowed to meet.
“It’s understandable that our community members want to get back to work and return to normal life as quickly as possible,” said Doctor Robert Levin. “The best path forward is a cautious one — a path that proceeds gradually, carefully, and incrementally. A path that relies on science and facts to determine each step forward. The data is looking good, thanks to the diligence of our community members in following these Orders, but we must be cautious in how we move forward. We must continue to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19. Community members must continue to practice social distancing. In line with the Governor’s Order, we will review the Order in two weeks to assess for any further modifications.”
The modified Order allows exceptions for limited business operations allowing nonpublic serving businesses to operate using no more than 10 employees, allows for gatherings of up to 5 people, modifies some essential businesses, allows for gatherings in motor vehicles, reopens some forms of recreation with appropriate restrictions, allows bike shops to open and permits in-person sale of vehicles.
It should be noted that places of worship are still required to be closed, but golf courses are now allowed to reopen with social distancing protocols in place. New golf protocols include:
- No golf carts
- At least 30 feet between groups
- No ball washers
- No flag pins on greens and hole cups are to be inverted to prevent frequent direct contact from many golfers. Note: in some other areas of the country, they are raising the cup liners above the surface of the green so that all putts bounce off. This significantly changes putting strategy.
Other approved outdoor activities now include tennis, pickle-ball, walking, running, bicycling,
pleasure driving and working around places of residence, including gardening. Hiking is also included, but the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) has not yet reopened our local trails.
Although places of worship remain closed, a few restrictions have been loosened. The number of staff that can be onsite for religious internet streaming activities was raised from seven to ten. People are now allowed to attend religious services as long as they stay in their cars with windows rolled up. Therefore, any sort of communion service appears to remain off-limits, since worshipers are neither allowed to enter a building to receive it, nor can they roll down their car window to receive it outside. According to the county Stay-Well-At-Home order, violations are misdemeanors, punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
Only six new cases of COVID-19 were reported today in Ventura County. The death toll still stands at 13. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ventura County now total 422. The number of COVID-19 patients currently in hospital ICUs for the entire county is now nine.
