Los Angeles County to impose new Covid-19 restrictions on social gatherings

Nearly all social gatherings of people from greater than a single family might be banned in Los Angeles County for no less than three weeks beginning Monday underneath new restrictions native well being officers unveiled on Friday, citing a continued surge in Covid-19 infections.

The public well being order particularly exempts spiritual companies and protests underneath constitutionally protected rights in an obvious nod to Wednesday’s U.S. Supreme Court determination hanging down a New York state order that had restricted the scale of spiritual gatherings.

The Los Angeles County measures, affecting some 20 million folks dwelling in and across the nation’s second-largest metropolis, transcend a curfew imposed final week by California Governor Gavin Newsom barring social gatherings and different non-essential actions throughout many of the state between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Taken collectively, they signify probably the most stringent Covid-19 measures imposed on the Los Angeles space since California’s first-in-the-nation statewide lockdown in March, early within the pandemic. They are also among the many most restrictive in impact nationwide.

State and native authorities have instituted, or re-imposed, a variety of limitations on social and financial exercise in hopes of blunting a wave of coronavirus infections raging uncontrolled throughout the nation following a late-summer lull.

Political leaders and well being officers have additionally escalated public appeals to pandemic-weary Americans in latest days urging them to remain dwelling, keep away from gatherings and curtail Christmas purchasing as they look forward to promised vaccines.

In saying the newest non permanent constraints, L.A. county well being officers mentioned the day by day tally of newly documented infections had exceeded 4,500 instances for 5 straight days, crossing a threshold beforehand set for added measures to curb the contagion.

Under the brand new L.A. County order, which runs by means of December 20, residents are suggested – however not required – to remain dwelling as a lot as doable and to at all times put on face coverings when exterior their properties and round others.

But any social gatherings of individuals from a couple of family are prohibited, whether or not in public or personal, and whether or not indoors or exterior. The newest order nonetheless permits some measure of business exercise, albeit at decreased ranges.

It lowers the utmost occupancy ranges for “essential” retail companies, together with grocery shops, to 35% of capability, whereas non-essential retail areas equivalent to indoor purchasing malls and private care companies equivalent to nail salons can stay open at 20% of capability.

Beaches, trails and parks stay open, too, as long as people hold their distance from others exterior their households and put on a masks. The identical applies to golf programs, tennis courts, skate parks and different outside leisure venues.

All indoor and outside service at bars, eating places, wineries and breweries stays prohibited underneath an earlier county order that restricted them to takeout and supply solely.

Health officers across the nation have warned that the vacation journey season and onset of colder climate – resulting in better social mixing and folks congregating indoors – is fueling a Covid-19 surge that has despatched infections, hospitalizations and deaths to report ranges.

Nearly 388,000 Covid-19 instances have been confirmed throughout Los Angeles County so far, together with greater than 7,600 deaths, with 10% of all diagnostic checks coming again positive – twice the speed thought of regarding by well being authorities.

(This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content.)

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