Stop Golfing, Coronavirus Parties! OC Officials Say

Ashley Ludwig
Updated ·6 min read

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Social distancing in Orange County has meant different things to different people, with varying levels of fear to a laissez faire attitude on the governor issued order.

In past weeks we have seen residents and visitors hit the beaches, go surfing and even have meet ups in their neighborhoods. Other parts of Orange County have seen golfers out on the course in Aliso Viejo.

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do noted in a meeting, Tuesday, that he received multiple text messages and photos of large groups of people gathering last weekend in violation of the social distancing recommendations.

"I have even heard of people hosting coronavirus parties," Do said. "Stop it. ... Don't make play dates. Don't go see your cousin. ... Just don't."

Do pleaded with residents to stay at home as much as possible.

"Social distancing and isolation is no longer a debate," Do said.

Stay-at-home orders in other countries have lessened the spread of the disease, Do said, adding that Orange County residents might not know for weeks or months how effective their efforts have been. "But we can do more than hope for the best," he said.

Do pointed out that "just because you don't feel sick doesn't mean you're not sick," referring to the incubation period of the virus before symptoms flare up.

Code enforcement officers Wednesday were dispatched to several golf courses and a tennis club in southern Orange County that have refused to close during the stay-at-home COVID-19 order.

"The Aliso Viejo (Country) Club is allowing members to walk the course. They're not taking this seriously," Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said. "We actually got complaint calls from neighbors asking why is a golf course open, why is a tennis club open?"

Bartlett said the clubs cannot remain open because there are too many "touch points" and it would be too difficult to ensure adequate social distancing and sanitizing at such recreational facilities.

Bartlett, who has been helping in efforts to acquire more personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, said she was "livid" that the complaints of non-essential businesses "going rogue ... was sucking up so much of our time."

Three public golf courses in San Clemente voluntarily shut down on Tuesday after issues were raised about why they were continuing to remain open.

UPDATE: Two private golf courses in Coto de Caza have been closed and workers furloughed, Patch was told. Though events such as "Pasta Night" and "Wok-O Taco Night" and an April 12 Easter brunch remain posted at the Coto club, those have been delayed or canceled.

After questions were raised earlier this week about the Los Alamitos Race Course remaining open, county officials contacted the operators and it was closed to the public, but horse racing will continue there.

"I'm going to start calling them one by one and tell them they're being the poster child for bad behavior," Bartlett said. She emphasized, however, that "most of the businesses out there that are non-essential have been in compliance and I greatly appreciate that. They're wanting to do the socially responsible thing."

This coronavirus, that has sent so many home to work or wait for jobs to reopen, is no joke, officials say.

Bartlett said COVID-19 is an international pandemic, "a virus that's killing people. For these entities to be out there operating and putting members and guests and the public at-large at risk to me is just incredulous."

Board Chairwoman Michelle Steel on Tuesday downplayed the significance of golf courses remaining open.

"We can't really be shutting down everything here ... We're going to the market, we're using the cart and everything. This is people's personal responsibility (to adhere to social distancing recommendations)," she said during the board's regular meeting.

On Wednesday, Steel issued this statement:

"In the midst of this crisis, I urge all Orange County residents to follow state and local orders and social distancing guidelines. We're all in this together. Each of us are personally responsible to stop the spread of COVID-19."

The Board of Supervisors next Tuesday will likely tackle some sort of policy proposal regarding the operation of non-essential businesses during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, essential businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, have remained open while other businesses have been told to have staff work from home or to shutter until at least the end of April. This has left business owners to grapple with the mental and physical blows of being labeled "non-essential."

Read: Staying Essential Amid Coronavirus Closure In Mission Viejo

Wednesday's positive tests for coronavirus topped 600, with Irvine has the most coronavirus cases in the county with 57. Anaheim has 56 and Newport Beach has 54.

Other cities with the most cases include Huntington Beach with 39, Santa Ana with 36 and San Clemente with 30. Laguna Beach, a town of 23,358 residents, has 25 residents who have tested positive for the virus.

With just over 1,500 tests available, residents wonder when testing will be more widespread. Thus far, nearly 7,750 residents have been tested for coronavirus while there are 3.5 million residents of Orange County at risk of catching the virus. Read: Coronavirus Updates For Orange County: 606 Cases, 10 Deaths

Orange County Public Health Director David Souleles said Tuesday there are enough hospital beds to handle patients because elective surgeries have been rescheduled, but that could change when an expected surge of patients happens.
It's possible the state may use the recently shuttered Fairview Developmental Center and the Orange County Fairgrounds to house patients, officials in Costa Mesa said. Last month, Costa Mesa officials vigorously resisted a plan to house COVID-19 patients from a cruise ship at Fairview.

The County Health Officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, said Monday the county is "still far from meeting the need" for personal protection equipment for first responders and healthcare professionals.

Quick discouraged visiting senior citizens, who are most at risk from coronavirus, in retirement communities and nursing homes in the county.

City News Service, Patch Staffer Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.

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This article originally appeared on the Rancho Santa Margarita Patch