Gatherings limited to 16 people in Imperial County
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Imperial County Health Officer has issued an Amended Health Officer Order updating guidelines for private social gatherings.
Due to the continued spread of COVID-19 in Imperial County, the ICHO has added a limit of no more than 16 people for any and all private social gatherings.
It will also give local health officers the authority to enforce additional limits.
The guideline will also not allow a private gathering of people from more than three separate households, including the host. That means that if four people come from four different houses, that will not be allowed per the new guidelines. They say there is more risk of spreading the virus further when the four people return back to their homes.
The Health Officer Order has also banned any high-risk activities such as singing and playing any wind instruments (flute, clarinet, trumpet, etc.) as there is a possibility of germs traveling further.
"Limiting the number of households that come together, avoiding high-risk activities, and meeting in outdoor spaces helps to reduce the risk of virus spread," says Stephan Munday, Imperial County Health Officer.
The State is strongly discouraging any households that hold interactions of individuals from different groups. However, if you do plan to hold any private social gatherings that fit within the guidelines, the State is requesting hosts to gather contact information for the people attending, should any contact tracing become necessary.
It is anticipated that the State will release guidance related to Halloween activities sometime next week.