Laguna Beach to consider offering hybrid format for City Council meetings

In the week ahead, the Laguna Beach City Council will once again consider how to proceed with its meetings going forward, with the option on the table to return to an in-person format.

The council previously was approached by city staff about the format of meetings in January, at which time it decided to continue conducting meetings virtually over Zoom until Orange County was in the orange tier regarding its coronavirus transmission.

Orange County progressed from the most-restrictive purple tier to the red tier on March 14, and the county is currently meeting orange tier criteria in two of three key metrics used for reopening — testing positivity rate (2.2%) and health equity quartile positivity rate (3.5%).

City staff members are presenting three options. The first would have virtual meetings continue until Orange County advances to the least-restrictive yellow tier.

The other two options provide for in-person public participation. One of them would have the public stand in line while observing physical distancing to speak during public comment sessions. Another would offer limited seating of about 15 seats in the back of council chambers for members of the public.

If either of the hybrid options, which would also offer the opportunity to view the meetings through Zoom, are chosen by the council, then city staff is recommending that Plexiglas dividers be installed for council members and prominent city staff. The Plexiglas dividers would come at a cost of $6,500.

A face covering would be required for members of the public wishing to participate in person at a meeting.

Orange County reported 26 coronavirus deaths and 118 new infections on Saturday in the latest data released by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

During the pandemic, there have been 4,562 deaths in the county that were attributed to the virus. The total number of cases in the county is closing in on 250,000.

Currently, there are 197 people in the county hospitalized because of the virus. Forty-three of those patients are in intensive care units.

Here are the latest cumulative coronavirus case counts and COVID-19 deaths for select cities in Orange County:

• Santa Ana: 44,419 cases; 800 deaths
• Anaheim: 41,327 cases; 799 deaths
• Huntington Beach: 10,442 cases; 203 deaths
• Costa Mesa: 8,788 cases; 122 deaths
• Irvine: 10,306 cases; 79 deaths
• Newport Beach: 3,689 cases; 71 deaths
• Fountain Valley: 3,435 cases; 77 deaths
• Laguna Beach: 810 cases; five deaths

Here are the case counts by age group, followed by deaths:

• 0 to 17: 25,915 cases; one death
• 18 to 24: 34,460 cases; nine deaths
• 25 to 34: 49,658 cases; 46 deaths
• 35 to 44: 38,813 cases; 98 deaths
• 45 to 54: 40,000 cases; 284 deaths
• 55 to 64: 31,458 cases; 637 deaths
• 65 to 74: 15,665 cases; 889 deaths
• 75 to 84: 7,936 cases; 1,124 deaths
• 85 and older: 5,359 cases; 1,474 deaths
  

Updated figures are posted daily at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc. Information on COVID-19 vaccines in Orange County can be found at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-vaccine-resources.

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