LA County Requires Residents to Wear Masks in Public to Curb Coronavirus

Beginning April 10, Los Angeles County will be requiring residents to wear masks in public for an indefinite period to combat the coronavirus.

The Los Angeles Times reported masks must be worn when people are inside essential businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Masks are not required when exercising outside. Any form of face covering, such as scarves, meets the requirement.

On April 7, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said essential businesses may refuse to provide services to those not wearing masks. “Every Angeleno will share this responsibility with employers: to keep workers and everybody else safe, which is why we are requiring customers to wear face coverings to enter those businesses,” he said.

Garcetti acknowledged the measure largely will be self-enforced. “Our idea is not to be arresting and fining people for the face coverings,” the mayor said. “Just as if tomorrow everybody decided to jaywalk across the street, we wouldn’t have close to enough law enforcement officers or city workers to stop everybody from jaywalking.”

As of this writing, there are 7,350 confirmed cases in the county and 198 deaths from COVID-19. On April 8, County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said the county still is trying to reach 10,000 tests a day and that until they reach that goal, positive cases will continue to increase in the county.

Ferrer thanked medical personnel for their work. “You’re heroes, and we appreciate your commitment to continuing to take excellent care for all of us, while we know you’re facing the impossible task of juggling caring for your families while showing up every single day on the front lines,” Ferrer said.