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While other parts of the country are moving to slowly reopen their economies, Los Angeles County officials are looking at extending stay-at-home orders until August.
This coming despite a number of large protests in the news last week over Southern California beaches being closed.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Tuesday during a Board of Supervisors meeting that stay-at-home restrictions will “with all certainty” remain in effect “for the next three months,” according to CBS Los Angeles.
“There’s now no way, unless there was a dramatic change in this virus and the tools that we have at hand to actually fight against this virus, there’s no way that we could, in fact, see us not needing to continue with a set of restrictions,” Ferrer said.
A countywide Safer-At-Home order is set to expire Friday, and Ferrer did not specify what type of restrictions she had in mind, although she did say the “dramatic change” would involve a reliable vaccine, at-home testing, and treatment for COVID-19, the CBS affiliate reported.
With a population of 10 million, Los Angeles County has had 33,180 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 1,613 deaths.
Even though New York City has been the epicenter of the pandemic, and there have been over 180,000 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths, Mayor Bill de Blasio is not willing to go as far as Los Angeles County just yet.
“Unless something miraculous happens, we’re going into June,” Mayor de Blasio said Monday.
As might be expected, Ferrer’s statement generated plenty of controversy, as people are growing more and more frustrated with a lockdown that is now two months long.
It came as the county loosened some guidelines last week, with trails reopening and retailers allowed to expand to curbside services, KCBS-TV reported.
Beaches are also set to reopen Wednesday but only for surfing, running, walking and swimming. People are not allowed to sunbathe, sit, or gather.
Seriously.
Beachgoers are also required to wear masks when not in the water — and they better be moving.
On 5/13, LA Co. beaches reopen w/ the following rules:
• Individual/family activities & exercise ONLY
• No lying or sitting on sand, canopies, coolers or picnicking
• 6+ ft. physical distancing & masks REQUIRED
• Parking lots, bike path, piers & boardwalks remain CLOSED pic.twitter.com/SkGYuf51fM— LA Beaches & Harbors (@lacdbh) May 11, 2020
Supervisor Kathryn Barger would later be forced to add clarity to Ferrer’s comment, saying it was “taken out of context and has understandably caused great concern by the public.”
“Relaxing the restrictions in the ‘Safer at Home’ order is an important focus for the County, which will be done gradually over the next few months,” she said.
Barger added, “I am eager to reopen more of L.A. 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. I’m confident that the more our communities continue to comply, the sooner we can resume normalcy.”
Interestingly, Ferrer is featured in a LA County Public Health video shared just weeks before the coronavirus outbreak swept the country.
“LA County, we’d really hate it if you got the flu. Boohoo!” read the lyrics of a holiday song.
Former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino nailed it in a tweet Monday commenting on the end result of heavy-handed government officials extending lockdowns — in effect, stating what President Trump warned against weeks ago, that the cure is proving to be worse than the disease.
“The lockdown crowd is going to destroy the country. I’m not kidding,” he tweeted. “They’re misleading you into thinking the virus is a single variable problem. IT ISN’T. Hospitals are going bankrupt, ppl are avoiding doctors, the food supply is strained, & we’re on the cusp of mass poverty.”
The lockdown crowd is going to destroy the country. I’m not kidding. They’re misleading you into thinking the virus is a single variable problem. IT ISN’T. Hospitals are going bankrupt, ppl are avoiding doctors, the food supply is strained, & we’re on the cusp of mass poverty.
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 12, 2020
The need for people to get back to work and start earning paychecks to feed their families is as real as it gets.
Los Angeles extended their stay at home orders 3 more months. It’s down right cruel. How are people supposed to feed their families?? Not everyone has savings!
— Camellia 🎨 (@Camellia_Alexan) May 12, 2020
Here’s a sampling of other responses from Twitter – Caution: Adult Language:
How does this make sense when 51% of deaths in LA county are in nursing homes? How does this make sense when data shows dry and warm weather is the best tool to kill off the virus? How does any of this make sense??? https://t.co/MWAmNU5t0L
— Elisha (@ElishaKrauss) May 12, 2020
If Los Angeles County has stay at home orders until late August, there may not be any small businesses left when it finally reopens. Absolute insanity. LA County + the state of CA voted for far left Democrat tyrants and now they have them. You get what you vote for. https://t.co/c4T9jxZmAe
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 12, 2020
Me: I just wanna go to a bar and get drunk with my friends
LA county: pic.twitter.com/sH1rBStP3K
— READ BIO! (@sunflowrklaus) May 12, 2020
Someone should remind LA County that they vote blue no matter what so there's no need to remain closed.
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) May 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/Rockprincess818/status/1260331276478738432?s=20
LA County extended their stay at home order for another 3 months… summer is officially cancelled 😩🥺😤
— Joselyn (@_missjosieexo) May 12, 2020
tfw LA County extends the stay-at-home order another 3 months pic.twitter.com/H7L8AjnTFA
— Mara (@FoundMyCarKeys) May 12, 2020
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