State permits social gatherings for first time since March

On Friday the state released new guidelines that permits social gatherings with limitations. It's the first time since restrictions have loosened since March.

According to the new issuance, gatherings that include more than 3 households are prohibited.

The state's original release in March advised that "all gatherings should be postponed or canceled." In September, gatherings among single households were permitted outdoors.

"We’ve been trying to stay in but we usually do anyways," said Palm Desert resident Lanay Yancy.

Yancy, her sister, and 2 other friends gathered at a Palm Desert park on Sunday to play basketball.

Like many others, the sisters have been playing it safe and limiting how much they go out. For months, Californians have been confined by strict guidelines when it comes to social gatherings.

The state's new restrictions allows private gatherings and public park gatherings to have a maximum of 3 households. The California Department of Public Health website stated:

A gathering of no more than three households is permitted in a public park or other outdoor space, even if unrelated gatherings of other groups up to three households are also occurring in the same park or other outdoor space.  If multiple such gatherings are occurring, mixing between group gatherings is not allowed.  Additionally, multiple gatherings of three households cannot be jointly organized or coordinated to occur in the same public park or other outdoor space at the same time – this would constitute a gathering exceeding the permitted size.

"I know there’s not going to be a park ranger enforcing that, but at least the community, we should at least abide by some of those things," said father, Allan Barraca.

Barraca took his son to an Indio park on Sunday. He said he needed to get his son out of the house, but at the same time, he understood the restrictions that have been put in place to keep people safe.

Meanwhile, counties have the power to be more restrictive on the guidance. Riverside County released a statement:

“The County has aligned with state guidance and if county residents choose to gather with other households, the state guidance gives advice on how to do so more safely. The more individuals are involved, however, the higher the risk of transmission to medically vulnerable individuals in your family, even with these precautions.”