Los Angeles likely to extend coronavirus restrictions well into summer

Los Angeles County's stay-at-home order is expected to remain in place for the next three months, according to county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer's statements made during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Ferrer added that even if the order remains in place through the summer, restrictions will be "gradually relaxed" in the form of a five-step plan.

"We are being guided by science and data that will safely move us forward along the road to recovery in a measured way—one that allows us to ensure that effective distancing and infection control measures are in place," Ferrer said.

Testifying before the Board of Supervisors, Ferrer said more progress will be guided by efforts to contain the virus. Los Angeles County is now California's most impacted coronavirus hotspot, with more than 1,300 deaths so far.

"Our hope is that by using the data, we’d be able to slowly lift restrictions over the next three months," she said.

Without widely available testing for the virus or rapid home kits which would allow people to test themselves daily, it is unlikely the social-distancing protocols will be relaxed.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger expressed optimism at the idea of there being more easing of restrictions in the coming weeks.

"I am eager to reopen more of LA County as soon as it's safe to do so, in collaboration with our health experts, community leaders, businesses and residents, with best practices in place to ensure our overall health and well-being. These decisions will be guided by the latest science and data collected," she said in a statement. "I’m confident that the more our communities continue to comply, the sooner we can resume normalcy."

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti echoed Barger's comments, commenting that the city will continue to work toward the goal of relaxing stay-at-home orders in an effort to allow for more businesses and activities to operate as they normally would.

"We’re not moving past COVID-19, we're learning to live with it—and we will keep taking measured steps toward a new, safer reality in the days and weeks ahead," he said in a statement.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he was working on modifying the state's stay-at-home orders to allow individual counties to approve the reopening of malls for curbside pickup. The order also allows for the reopening of some offices in teleworking is not possible.

"We aren’t out of the woods yet," Newsom said.

Beaches will reopen this week, but people will be required to wear masks when they are not in the water, and sunbathing will not be allowed. Only active recreation will be permitted, such as surfing, running, walking, and swimming. Coolers, chairs, umbrellas, and any other other accessories normally taken to the beach should be left at home.

There has been a substantial push in the previous weeks to reopen the state's economy, which has been significantly damaged by the stay-at-home orders. New protocols have been given for retail stores and some workplaces to reopen.

Under the new plan, some in-restaurant dining, car washes, and shopping malls could be allowed to reopen in the coming weeks if counties can demonstrate that the spread of the virus has stabilized and that they have sufficient testing and hospital capacity.

More rural counties with relatively few cases will be able to meet those benchmarks more quickly than urban counties such as Los Angeles.

A Los Angeles Times data analysis last week discovered that the largest California counties are nowhere close to meeting Newsom's standards. The analysis checked to see if a county could pass the first two criteria—whether deaths have stopped in the past two weeks, and whether there is no more than one case per 10,000 residents in that same period.

It was found that 95 percent of California failed the test.

Newsom suggested Friday that there was a possibility that the guidelines would be modified in order to accommodate for the counties hit hardest by the virus. "Over the next few weeks, we'll be making subsequent announcements for the entire state, not just those that meet those more restrictive criteria," he said.

On Tuesday, he also described the guidelines for restaurants in various counties to open for dine-in service, including disposable menus and an emphasis on outdoor seating. He also suggested that patrons be screened for symptoms, but this does not account for those who are asymptomatic, which may include the majority of people.

Again, on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned member of the US Senate that states that push too quickly to reopen might trigger an outbreak. Fauci suggested installing a policy where a decline would have to be seen for two weeks straight before any easing of orders could be introduced.

While other California regions have seen a gradual decline in the number of reported infections and COVID-19-related deaths. LA County, for example, which is the state's most populous county, continues to see growth on both fronts. The county reported Tuesday an additional 961 people who tested positive for the virus, with an additional 45 deaths, bringing the total death toll to 1,613. LA County's COVID-19 deaths account for more than half of the state's total.

Official grant that the numbers reported at the start of the week are typically lower, since testing is not at full capacity on the weekends.

Nearly 253,000 individuals of LA County's 10 million residents have been tested for the virus, and roughly 11 percent—more than 3,200—have been infected. Officials have been encouraging everyone to get tested.

Officials have also noted that while social-distancing has help slow the spread of the virus, it still remains contagious.

"It’s safer to stay at home. Covid-19 has not changed," Ferrer told residents.

Neighboring counties that are loosening restrictions continue to see increases in cases and deaths. Riverside County, where officials voted Friday to lift the requirements for face coverings, reported 150 new cases Monday and 12 new deaths.

Orange County had 45 more cases and one death reported Tuesday, as the number of hospitalizations rose to 230.  

Santa Clara County, which was one of the hottest spots for infections in the state, has seen the number of cases decline. Officials reported two additional cases and no additional deaths. Santa Clara is one of six Bay Area counties that have elected to extend shelter-in-place orders.

LA County Board of Supervisors debated on whether to extend the county's eviction moratorium to aid renters who may be struggling financially due to the pandemic. Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis suggested extending it until August 31.

“Obviously our tenants are suffering extreme pain right now,” Solis said.

Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn submitted an amendment to extend the rent eviction moratorium only until the end of June. The board passed the amendment, 3-2, with Kuehl and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas voting against it.