As the number of new coronavirus cases continues to rise in Los Angeles County, health officials issued a temporary home residence order on Friday, which takes effect Monday.
The three-week restrictions are not as stringent as they were this spring.
“Residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and always wear a nose and mouthpiece face shield when they are outside their household and around others,” the county health department said.
The regulation prohibits all public and private gatherings with persons who do not live in the same household, except for religious services and protests.
It imposes new occupational barriers on businesses, such as personal care and retail, but does not close them. Beaches, trails and parks remain open, but gatherings are prohibited at non-household venues
The new rules come just two days after restaurants in much of LA County have ordered an outdoor meal suspension. The decision sparked backlash from restaurant owners and a few elected officials who called the rules too restrictive for an industry that was already struggling.
Officials warned of the arrival of new restrictions.
County LA reported an average of 4,300 new cases of coronavirus per day from Wednesday, the third consecutive day that number peaked. Unless something dramatic is done to slow transmission, that number is well on its way to doubling in two weeks and quadrupling in a month, officials said.
Officials say hospitals will experience a shortage of beds in the next two to four weeks, especially in intensive care units, if these trends continue. But hospitals are better equipped than in the spring to handle potential surges, COVID-19’s treatment has been significantly improved, and hospitals can cancel elective surgeries to have more space.
County COVID-19 hospital treatments have more than doubled in just three weeks, from 800 in Halloween to just 1,700 on Tuesday.
Times staff, Rong-Gong Lin II and Luke Money supported this report.
