Christian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Today, the Los Angeles County, California Department of Public Health issued a statement stating that since the average threshold of 4,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per day has been exceeded, additional, stronger containment measures will be taken to stop the spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which originated a year ago in a market in Wuhan, China.
Specifically, the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, offered her heartfelt condolences to those families who have been affected by this "terrible virus."
"We hope that residents of Los Angeles County will continue to follow the Department of Public Health's safety measures, measures that we know can stop the spread of the disease. Acting with collective urgency is essential if we are to stem this tide," he said and asked, during the next three weeks, to "please stay home as much as possible and do not associate with others who do not reside in your home.
The following measures will go into effect starting this Monday, November 30 and will continue for three more weeks, that is, until at least December 20:
- MeetingsAll public and private meetings with individuals who do not belong to the same household are prohibited. Religious services and protests, constitutionally protected rights, are excepted.
- Business: Mandatory use of masks and physical distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters):
- Essential retail business with a 35% maximum occupancy.
- Non-core businesses with non-core retail sales - including enclosed malls - with a 20% maximum occupancy.
- Personal care services with a 20% maximum occupancy.
- Libraries, with a maximum occupancy of 20%.
- Outdoor training centres with a 50% maximum occupancy
- Museums, galleries, zoos, aquariums, outdoor botanical gardens with a 50% maximum occupancy.
- Miniature golf courses, batting cages, go-karts outdoor with 50% maximum occupancy.
- Outdoor recreation activities will require the obligatory use of a mask -except for swimming-, practicing also the physical distancing:
- Beaches, trails and parks remain open; meetings with people from outside the home are prohibited.
- Golf courses, tennis courts, archery ranges, skate parks, bike paths and community gardens remain open to individuals or single family members.
- Community pools may only be opened for stationary swimming limited to one person per lane.
- Drive-ins/events/parades are allowed as long as the occupants of each car are members of a family.
- Schools:
- All schools and day camps remain open following reopening protocols. K-12 schools and day camps with a COVID-19 case - 3 or more cases in 14 days - should remain closed for 14 days.
- Full lockdown:
- Playgrounds (except for kindergartens and schools).
- Poker rooms.
- Due to the high infection ratesRestaurants, bars, breweries and wineries must limit their access but not their service: they may continue to offer take-out food. Breweries and wineries remain open for retail sales at 20% occupancy.
For more information, visit: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.
