Los Angeles County officials implemented a new shelter-in-place order on May 13 that eases current restrictions for retailers and outdoor recreation centers but lasts indefinitely.
Under the modified order, all retailers that aren’t in malls and shopping centers are allowed to reopen for delivery and pickup only. Certain outdoor recreation centers such as bike parks, shooting ranges and tennis courts also are allowed to reopen under the order.
Large gatherings are still prohibited.
County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during the May 13 press briefing that the new shelter-in-place order will be revised over time.
“This will be a slow journey,” she said. “In the last few weeks, we’ve worked together to slow the spread of COVID-19, and this will now be our new foreseeable normal in the future.”
Ferrer pointed out that while COVID-19 cases and deaths haven’t leveled off since the county first issued its shelter-in-place order in March, the county hasn’t experienced a massive surge in cases that might have overwhelmed its health care infrastructure. She also said that there has been a small decrease in the rate of COVID-19 deaths and infections over the past few weeks.
“I can promise you if everybody hadn’t done their part, if people hadn’t stayed home — that would not have been what the last two months looked like,” Ferrer said. “We would have had many, many more cases, and many, many more deaths.”
The new shelter-in-place order comes a day after the Los Angeles Times reported that Ferrer had said the order was going to be extended for another three months, resulting in a backlash on social media. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a May 12 press briefing that Ferrer didn’t mean the order would remain static for three months; she meant that there would have to be some health protections in place until an effective treatment or vaccine is developed.
“Do not freak out when you hear a scientist say that it’s still going to be here and we’re still going to be living under health orders,” Garcetti said.
There were 1,264 new COVID-19 cases and 47 new deaths from the virus in the county on May 13, bringing the county’s respective totals to 34,428 and 1,659.
