ā This guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will update this guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available.
Background
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel virus that has been spreading worldwide. Community-acquired cases have now been confirmed in California. We are gaining more understanding of COVID-19ās epidemiology, clinical course, immunogenicity, and other factors as time progresses, and the situation is changing daily. CDPH is in the process of monitoring COVID-19, conducting testing with local and federal partners, and providing guidance and resources to prevent, detect and respond to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases in California.
At this time, community transmission of COVID-19 has occurred in California. Venues where people gather for entertainment should prepare for possible impacts of COVID-19 and take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as other infectious diseases, including influenza and gastroenteritis.
Illness Severity
The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example, seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.
Context
Entertainment venues bring people from multiple communities into close contact with each other and have the potential to increase COVID-19 transmission. This guidance document describes steps that venue owners and management should take for the protection of patrons to prevent further COVID-19 transmission. The CDPH guidance has sanitation, personal hygiene, and social distancing as an important foundation for the prevention of COVID-19 in these venues.
The goals of these actions are: (1) to protect people attending and working at the venue and the local community from COVID-19 infection; and (2) to reduce community transmission and introductions of COVID-19 into new communities. Below we provide guidance for gambling venues, theme parks and attractions.
Gambling Venues
- Eliminate, delay or reduce conventions/tournaments that increase customer flow above 250 persons in a single room/space
- Increase frequency of cleaning of chips, shuffling machines, and other objects utilized in games
- Increase frequency of cleaning and/or disposal of playing cards
- Eliminate non-essential/non-related services, such as massages or other ancillary services co-housed in gambling venues that could increase customer flow above 250 persons in a single room/space
- Ensure that social distancing of six feet per person for non-family members is maintained and make clear that family members can participate together, stand in line together etc.
- Limiting the number of people in lines
- Separate spaces on the gaming floor into smaller components
- Increase frequency of cleaning and sanitizing per CDC Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection guidance of all hard surfaces, including terminals and felt and vinyl surfaces of card tables and chairs
- Increase cleaning and sanitizing frequency of restroom and other high contact areas
- Eliminate events/marketing that target individuals that the CDPH has identified higher risk of serious illness for COVID-19.
- Additional opportunities throughout the venue for persons to reduce the spread of the virus through hand washing or sanitizing stations
Theme Parks and Attractions
- Ensure that social distancing of six feet per person for non-family members is maintained and make clear that family members can participate in activities together, stand in line together etc.
- Social distancing of six feet per person, particularly between individuals who have come together on a one-time or rare basis and/or who have very different travel patterns such as those coming from multiple countries, state or counties
- Limiting attendance as necessary to reduce outdoor/indoor crowding and lines to meet social distancing guidance
- Increase cleaning and sanitizing frequency of restroom and other high contact areas
- Train employees on best hygiene practices including washing their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Increase spacing of show times to allow for more thorough cleaning of single room or space and social distancing during show times
- Additional opportunities throughout the venue for persons to reduce the spread of the virus through hand washing or sanitizing stations
- Eliminate events/marketing that target individuals that the CDPH has identified as higher risk of serious illness for COVID-19
- Extend hours to allow for staggering of attendance
- Add distance to locations individuals sit or stand around tables