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© ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
A man carries a packet of take out food as he walks past a temporary outdoor restaurant on November 23, 2020 in Burbank, California. – Starting November 24, Los Angeles County will suspend alfresco dining for restaurants in hopes of slowing an unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases. The measure has sparked a backlash from restaurants and some county officials, who are concerned about the devastating economic toll. Los Angeles County recorded its highest one-day total of COVID-19 cases on November 23 since the start of the pandemic. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK / AFP via Getty Images)
All public and private gatherings with anyone outside of a single household are now banned in Los Angeles County, as most countries grapple with an unprecedented surge in Covid-19.
The ban will last for three weeks, from Monday to December 20.
The 10 million residents are urged to stay at home as much as possible and wear masks outside – even when exercising at the beach and in parks, the health department said Los Angeles County Public Service, which issued the order last week.
All playgrounds and playrooms will be closed, but beaches, trails and parks will remain open to groups living in the same household.
The ordinance also reduces the maximum occupancy rate for essential businesses to 35% and for non-essential businesses, personal care services and libraries to 20%.
Businesses operating outdoors, including fitness centers, zoos, botanical gardens and threshing cages, are reduced to a maximum capacity of 50%.
The ordinance exempts religious services and outdoor demonstrations, which are constitutionally protected rights, the county said.
The directive comes in addition to a controversial new outdoor dining ban in Los Angeles County and a statewide curfew banning non-essential activities outside the home from 10 p.m. 12 am to 5 am for the vast majority of residents.
But the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it would not enforce the new stay-at-home order, relying instead on voluntary compliance.
“Since the first stay-at-home order was issued in March of this year, we have focused on education and voluntary compliance, with enforcement measures being an extreme last resort,” the department said. sheriff in a statement to CNN.
“We trust the community and rely on people to assess the risks and take the necessary precautions.”
Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States, recently reported a record high number of new Covid-19 infections and the highest number of deaths in months.
The county reported 395,843 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 7,639 deaths on Sunday. The county’s average 7-day test positive rate is 6.9%.
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