It prohibits residents from attending all public and private gatherings with those not in a person’s household, “except for faith based services and protests, which are constitutionally protected rights.”
The order imposes occupancy limits on various businesses, with 35 percent occupancy set for “essential retail” businesses, and 20 percent for “non-essential retail” businesses which includes indoor malls. A 20 percent occupancy limit is being specified for personal care services and libraries.
A 50 percent occupancy limit is set for outdoor facilities including fitness centers, museums, galleries, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, mini-golf, batting cages, and go-kart racing.
Residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and wear a mask to cover their nose and mouth when they are outside their household and around others. At all the public sites, people are advised to also keep at least 6 feet of distance from each other.
The order also closes all public playgrounds. It also keeps in-person dining and drinking closed for restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries, citing “high rates of transmission in the community,” and that “customers are not wearing face coverings during their visit which results in an increased chance of transmission of the virus.” These businesses can still open for pick-up, delivery, and take-out services at 20 percent occupancy.
Schools and day camps are allowed to open according to reopening guidelines, and outdoor recreation at beaches, trails, and parks are still allowed.
“To those who recently lost loved ones from COVID-19, we send you wishes for healing and peace,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “With the recent surge of COVID-19 across our community, we must take additional safety measures to reduce the risk of illness and death from this terrible virus and protect our healthcare system.
“These targeted measures are in effect for the next three weeks and still allow for many essential and non-essential activities where residents are always masked and distanced. We know we are asking a lot from so many who have been sacrificing for months on end and we hope that L.A. County residents continue following Public Health safety measures that we know can slow the spread. Acting with collective urgency right now is essential if we want to put a stop to this surge. Please remain home as much as possible and do not gather with others not in your household for the next three weeks.”
The CCP virus primarily brings about severe illness in the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. It kills a small percentage of patients while the vast majority of people who become infected recover, most outside of hospitals.
