The day Los Angeles County enacts new coronavirus restrictions and the day before the county goes into a state-mandated overnight curfew, the county recorded another 4,272 cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths.
While Friday’s new case count is down from the 5,033 new cases the county recorded on Thursday, it’s still a dangerously high number. If the county keeps recording such high numbers, it could trigger another lockdown as early as Monday.
LA County now has a cumulative total 357,451 cases and 7,396 deaths since the pandemic began in March.
In West Hollywood, the numbers did not change on Friday. The LA County Department of Public Health website still lists WeHo as having 847 cases, the same number the city had on Thursday. Apparently, the health department has not updated the numbers for the individual cities it tracks as the case numbers for the areas surrounding WeHo also have not changed.
Effective Friday (Nov. 20), these new restrictions went into effect in LA County:
- Restaurants, breweries, wineries and non-essential businesses must close between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Outdoor service at restaurants, wineries and brewers is limited to 50% capacity.
- Indoor service at non-essential businesses such as retail stores and offices is limited to 25% capacity.
- Personal care facilities indoor service is also limited to 25% capacity and customers must have an appointment. Any service requiring a customer to remove a face mask (such as facials or shaves) is prohibited.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households.
On Saturday at 10 p.m., the state-mandated overnight curfew goes into effect. That curfew covers all counties in the “purple” tier, the most restrictive tier of the state’s coronavirus monitoring system. Some 41 of the state’s 58 counties are covered by this curfew, including all of Southern California.
The overnight curfew hours run 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., but exempts essential workers. The overnight curfew is scheduled end on Dec. 21, but could be extended if the numbers do not fall substantially.
All of these measures are intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus. As of Friday, there are 1,298 people hospitalized in LA County with COVID-19.
If the cases keep increasing at this record pace, LA County health officials may issue a new Safer at Home lockdown order, as happened in March. Under that Safer at Home order, all non-essential businesses will close for at least three weeks.
That new Safer at Home order could come as early as Monday, but officials indicated they would give people several days’ notice before it would go into effect.
Public Health has a dedicated call line for confirmed cases of COVID-19. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call toll-free at (833) 540-0473. Residents who do not have COVID-19 can continue to call 211 for resources or more information.
One way the virus can be transmitted is through a cough, a sneeze or even through air that comes from the mouth when someone talks. For that reason, residents must wear face coverings when out in public and can be cited for not doing so. The citations come with a $250 fine and a $50 administrative fee.
West Hollywood residents with questions about the COVID-19 pandemic or who are looking for resources to deal with it can find answers on the City of West Hollywood’s website. Here is a list of links to sections about particular subjects and issues:
This really is a nightmare. I hope we can turn this around before the vaccine is distributed.
You and me both, green eyed boy!
Now is a good time for everyone to up their mask game to a surgical mask or even better a KN95 mask versus ineffective to harmful bandannas, gaiters, and vented masks.