New L.A. COVID-19 restrictions: What you need to know – Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County on Friday ordered restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. and place a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households. Its part of an attempt to slow the dangerous spread of COVID-19.

Here are the details:

With COVID-19 spreading at a rapid rate, officials have warned that other public health interventions may become necessary to stem transmission. Among those contingencies:

L.A. officials said they are alarmed by the rapid spread of the infection. For the two-week period that ended Thursday, average daily cases over a five-day period have doubled, from more than 1,700 cases a day to nearly 3,400 cases a day.

In the most pessimistic scenario, L.A. County could cross a red line as early as Thanksgiving week that would put the region on the cusp of a new stay-at-home order. Officials said they would give three days notice before a new health order would go into effect.

A new stay-at-home measure would be another body blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic. Officials said they want to keep businesses open but might not have a choice if the outbreaks cannot otherwise be slowed.

At this point, no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy, L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. With the surge in transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.

Meanwhile, California public health officials on Thursday announced a limited nighttime stay-at-home order starting this weekend that is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission with the goal of decreasing the number of hours individuals are in the community and mixing with individuals outside of their household.

In other words, its intended to discourage social gatherings such as late-night meals at outdoor restaurants and private parties.

Heres what the mandatory order does:

Read more here:

New L.A. COVID-19 restrictions: What you need to know - Los Angeles Times