Los Angeles County has imposed New Restrictions with Limited Gatherings and Curfew

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Los Angeles County has announced tightened restrictions on Tuesday to combat a COVID-19 surge. It requires restaurants, wineries, breweries, and non-essential retail businesses to close at 10 pm and also limiting their capacity at its indoor retail shops. The county officials have warned that if case numbers and hospitalizations continue increasing, sweeping “Safer At Home” restrictions will return and a countywide 10 pm to 6 am curfew will be imposed. The recent restrictions set to take effect Friday include, indoor non-essential businesses such as retail stores, offices, and personal care services will be limited to 25% occupancy. The outdoor service at restaurants, wineries, and breweries will be limited to 50% of the maximum outdoor capacity. The outdoor cardrooms, miniature golf sites, go-kart tracks, and batting cages will be limited to 50% of maximum outdoor capacity.

Customers at personal-care businesses must make advance appointments, and no services that require customers to remove their face masks can be offered. The restaurants, wineries, breweries, and non-essential retail businesses must be closed between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, and outdoor gatherings must be limited to no more than 15 people from a maximum of three households. The new restrictions came as the coronavirus outbreak reaches surge levels not seen since July in Los Angeles. New cases and hospitalizations are increasing and health officials face the prospect of widespread Thanksgiving gatherings that could end up spreading the coronavirus at explosive rates.

The health officials have few tools beyond restrictions, mask requirements, and widespread testing with the approval and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine still months away. Nonessential travel is discouraged as the officials announced a pilot testing program at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, to try to limit the spread of the disease. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said, “Testing is our first line of defense against the coronavirus, helping us track this virus and limit its spread, and any steps to expand our testing capacity can save lives. COVID-19 is still here and still dangerous, and building up our testing resources at LAX is a gateway to stronger crisis response and a healthier city”.