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Los Angeles County on Friday announced a temporary ban on gatherings of people from different households under a new “safer at home” order triggered by a spike in Covid-19 cases, church services and protests being exempt.
The ordinance for the second-largest city in the United States will go into effect Monday and last for at least three weeks, until Dec. 20, the county’s public health department said.
“In the new decree which comes into force on Monday, residents are advised to stay at home as much as possible,” a statement said.
“All public and private gatherings with people outside your household are prohibited, except for religious services and demonstrations, which are constitutionally protected rights,” he added.
The densely populated Los Angeles County has suffered more than 7,600 coronavirus deaths – more than a third of deaths in California – although Covid-19 is increasingly prevalent in remote rural areas of the Golden State.
Last week, California imposed a nighttime curfew across much of the state, while Los Angeles County on Wednesday banned dining in restaurants but allowed delivery.
The order comes as Los Angeles County’s average daily new cases topped 4,500 for the week, triggering tougher measures.
The “safer at home” measures are not as severe as the city’s first lockdown in March, which saw nearly all businesses shut down their physical premises.
But the new order lowers the occupancy limits for various businesses that can remain open, including stores, spas and libraries.
All schools can remain open unless they register outbreaks.
“These targeted measures are in effect for the next three weeks and still allow many essential and non-essential activities where residents are still masked and left behind,” said Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer.
“We know we are asking a lot from so many people who have been sacrificing themselves for months, and we hope LA County residents continue to follow public health safety measures that we know can slow the spread.
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