CA Department of Health’s New Guidelines for Gatherings

The California Department of Public Health has released updated guidelines for gatherings during the holidays, including separate rules for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. These guidelines replace the ones put in place earlier this year at the start of the pandemic. 

The governor has also been vocal about these restrictions. His office has been tweeting warnings about holiday gatherings for the last week. LA Public Health went as far as tweeting advisory guidelines for watching the NBA finals games as well, which mirror the states guidelines.

Gov. Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti both gave live updates in the past week in regards to the updated guidelines. “We continue to work in good faith to get where I know everybody wants to go,” Newsom said, “and that’s to get people back to work and to create more entertainment options, but we need to do so in a safe way.” 

Many members of Congress vocalized their support for these measures on Twitter in the following days.

Democratic Rep. Alan Lowenthal of California’s 47th congressional district, which includes Garden Grove and Westminster, tweeted: “We need to contain the virus, support the American people and support local communities. Schools, businesses and families desperately need our aid. #HeroesActNow.”

Rep. Ken Calvert, Republican of the 42nd district, called for an end to lockdowns statewide. “15,000 doctors +health scientists support a declaration calling for a smart alternative to the lockdowns that have devastated our economy.” Calvert tweeted. “Instead of being 'stubborn' as Gov. Newsom puts it, these doctors and scientists say we can and should be smarter.”

The new guidelines prohibit gatherings mixing more than three separate families. They also encourage the celebration of holidays such as Halloween inside the home rather than traditional trick-or-treating in the neighborhood.

Find the updated guidelines here.

There are also guidelines for celebrating Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.