Positive tests increase by 30 in one week as regional lockdown begins
Hotels may only provide lodging to people engaged in essential travel under the regional stay-at-home order. The order went into effect a minute before midnight on Dec. 6. The economic impact of the lockdown on Avalon’s tourism-driven economy won’t be immediately clear.
Meanwhile, local case counts are increasing.
The local case count has been confirmed. Last week Mayor Anni Marshall reported 43 cases during her weekly “Minutes with the Mayor” broadcast. The Catalina Island Medical Center reported 73 cases on Wednesday. And 61 tests are outstanding. “This is killing us in more ways than one,” she said during the broadcast.
She also encouraged the public to support local businesses during her broadcast. She thanked people who are taking the virus seriously.
Capt. John Hocking, commander of the Avalon Sheriff’s Station, confirmed that first responders took someone to the Catalina Medial Center Dec. 9, where they succumbed. However, he did not know the cause of that person’s death. “The coroner or doctor will have to determine the cause of death,’ he said.
Avalon City Council Member Michael Ponce was frustrated by the recent case increases. He said he thought Avlaon was doing well through Thanksgiving. “I’m so disappointed in my community,” Ponce said.
“We were trying to prevent this from coming to the Island,” Ponce said.
He was critical of the regional stay-at-home order. “I don’t see the facts behind what they are doing,” he said. He saw no logic in the state’s health order.
Some of the regional orders include a ban on outdoor dining (which was already in effect in Los Angeles County). However, as of 9:40 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, the state is allowing the use of playgrounds.
Some visitors and residents have been resistant to some of the rules, including the mask mandate. (A man was recently arrested after refusing to wear a mask. See the Sherriff’s Log on page 2.)
Mayor Marshall told the Islander this week that few people were in Avalon right now.
She said the freight line was down to three trips a week.
She advised visitors to make reservations before going to the Catalina Express. She said if the Express puts its smaller boat into service and a lot of people show up, they would have to turn people away.
But at least people could go back and forth, according to Marshall.
In response to the newest pandemic lockdown, Love Catalina Island/Catalina Island Tourism Authority (formerly known as the Chamber of Commerce) issued the following statement to the media: “Businesses on Catalina Island are closely monitoring and following the latest COVID-19 guidelines implemented by the State of California and County of Los Angeles. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the situation, a list of updates from business and services on the island, including hours of operation and closures, is being updated in real time online at www.lovecatalina.com/covid-19/whats-open/.”
The Express has temporarily suspended its San Pedro and Dana Point terminals. The Long Beach terminal is offering service Long Beach to Avalon at 7:05 a.m.; Avalon to Long Beach at 9:20 a.m.; Long Beach to Avalon at 4:15 p.m.; and Avalon to Long Beach at 6:30 p.m.
Hotels cannot honor out-of-state reservations for non-essential travel, according to the state’s COVID-19 website.
“Additionally, hotels and lodging entities in a county under a Regional Stay Home Order cannot accept or honor in-state reservations for non-essential travel.
