latimes--2020-05-24--Suspension of military honors at national cemetery burials compounds loss for families

A bugle playing taps , gun salutes and the presentation of a folded American flag to a mourning family are hallmarks of the military funerals conducted daily for veterans at San Diego ’ s two national cemeteries — Fort Rosecrans and Miramar .
That changed in March when , in response to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration suspended such ceremonies , leaving families without closure and depriving some veterans of their last wishes .
It troubles Mark Bartlett of Chula Vista .
His father , Merlin Bartlett , was a 25-year Navy veteran who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness .
“ What my father did for this country — he deserves better , ” said Mark Bartlett , who with his brother also served in the military , in part at the urging of their father .
“ He deserves full military honors , ” Bartlett said .
“ It feels like there ’ s a void where there is no closure.
” On March 23 , the National Cemetery Administration suspended burial ceremonies but allowed up to 10 family members to witness interments .
On April 15 , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked to watch burials from their “ cars or the road very near their cars.
” The notion of watching a casket as it ’ s lowered into the ground from his car doesn ’ t sit well with Kevin Carpenter , an Air Force veteran living in El Cajon .
Carpenter ’ s father , Leonard Carpenter , was a Navy veteran of the Korean War .
He died the first week of May age 89 .
“ I don ’ t want that to be the last memory I have of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leonard Carpenter served on board the aircraft carriers Oriskany and Boxer in the 1950s and was one of the earliest enlisted men to train as a jet mechanic , said his daughter , LaReatha Carpenter .
“ He took jet school to stay home longer , ” she said .
“ That ’ s how we ended up in San Diego.
” Leonard was preceded in death by his wife , Dorothy , in October , LaReatha Carpenter said .
She was buried at Miramar National Cemetery .
“ What happened when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everything went really smooth , ” she said .
“ Mom has been at Miramar and Daddy just wanted to go rest with her — with a little bit of recognition that he had served his country.
” The loss of that solemn recognition also robs families of watching a grateful nation recognize these veterans , said Jay Anderson , a Marine Corps veteran and member of the Patriot Guard Riders .
The volunteer organization participates in veteran funerals at families ’ requests .
“ Sometimes there are more of us than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson said , because sometimes veterans outlive those who are close to them .
Anderson said the honors rendered at these burial ceremonies — such as when the honor guard removes the American flag from the casket , folds it and presents it to the family — give families a sense of closure .
“ I ’ ve seen husbands , wives , brothers ... clutching those folded flags to their chests at the final moment , ” he said .
“ It is so , so special .
That ’ s when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their hero for their service.
” For now the VA is offering families the option to postpone burials or proceed with burials but hold a memorial service at a later date .
A VA spokeswoman said both San Diego national cemeteries could resume allowing traditional ceremonies soon .
“ Both cemeteries are developing plans to resume committal and memorial services , but we have no scheduling announcements at this time , ” Jessica Baxter , a Los Angeles VA spokeswoman , said in an email .
According to Baxter , VA cemeteries will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adhere to local health guidelines , such as social distancing , when they can allow at-risk populations to attend and when military personnel are available to provide military honors .
The decision , she said , is up to the National Cemetery Administration .
Until that decision is made , families such as the Carpenters and the Bartletts face two uncomfortable choices — watch burials from their cars or delay burial for weeks .
The Carpenters are waiting , they said .
Bartlett said his father will be buried at Miramar on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We visited Miramar and Rosecrans , ” Bartlett said .
“ A funeral with full military honors was something he always believed in .
He wanted that — my mother deserved it , too.
” The families each said they understand the importance of protecting people from COVID-19 but accommodations could be made .
Anderson agreed , saying that other parts of San Diego are reopening .
“ I ’ m not advocating going into a church or mortuary , ” Anderson said , “ but if we can do other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with a process in such a way that would be appropriate , dignified and would honor the deceased.
” Memorial Day observances also will veer from tradition this year because of COVID-19 regulations prohibiting large public gatherings .
Every year in San Diego , major commemorations are held at four landmark sites : Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery , the USS Midway Museum , Miramar National Cemetery and the Mt .
Soledad memorial .
This year the four events will be combined into one hourlong virtual simulcast ceremony that people can watch live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service will shift from location to location , each featuring a special event .
As before , there will be bagpipes , wreath laying , buglers playing echo taps and a military jet flyby in the missing man formation .
This time the live ceremony will be simulcast on www.sandiegomemorialdaylive.com from 9 to 10 a.m. and posted on YouTube and other websites afterward .
Each of the four locations will concentrate on memorials for veterans who served in various eras of service , including World War II , Korea , Vietnam , recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Each site will have 15 minutes and will feature speakers , including MCRD Brig .
Gen. Ryan Heritage , Navy Region Southwest Cmdr .
Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar , Mayor Kevin Faulconer , San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit , U.S. Atty .
Bob Brewer of the Southern District of California and others .
No public spectators will be allowed to attend the live simulcast services .
Diane Bell of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report .

A bugle playing taps, gun salutes and the presentation of a folded American flag to a mourning family are hallmarks of the military funerals conducted daily for veterans at San Diego’s two national cemeteries — Fort Rosecrans and Miramar.
That changed in March when, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration suspended such ceremonies, leaving families without closure and depriving some veterans of their last wishes.
It troubles Mark Bartlett of Chula Vista. His father, Merlin Bartlett, was a 25-year Navy veteran who died May 8 at age 70 of an illness.
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“What my father did for this country — he deserves better,” said Mark Bartlett, who with his brother also served in the military, in part at the urging of their father.
“He deserves full military honors,” Bartlett said. “It feels like there’s a void where there is no closure.”
Chief Petty Officer Merlin Bartlett, who died on May 8. (Courtesy photo)
On March 23, the National Cemetery Administration suspended burial ceremonies but allowed up to 10 family members to witness interments. On April 15, however, those rules were amended and families were asked to watch burials from their “cars or the road very near their cars.”
The notion of watching a casket as it’s lowered into the ground from his car doesn’t sit well with Kevin Carpenter, an Air Force veteran living in El Cajon. Carpenter’s father, Leonard Carpenter, was a Navy veteran of the Korean War. He died the first week of May age 89.
“I don’t want that to be the last memory I have of my dad,” Carpenter said.
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Leonard Carpenter served on board the aircraft carriers Oriskany and Boxer in the 1950s and was one of the earliest enlisted men to train as a jet mechanic, said his daughter, LaReatha Carpenter.
“He took jet school to stay home longer,” she said. “That’s how we ended up in San Diego.”
Leonard Carpenter on the USS Oriskany during the Korean War. “Daring Dot” refers to his wife, Dorothy, who died in October. (Courtesy photo)
Leonard was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, in October, LaReatha Carpenter said. She was buried at Miramar National Cemetery.
“What happened when we lost Mom at the end of October, everything went really smooth,” she said. “Mom has been at Miramar and Daddy just wanted to go rest with her — with a little bit of recognition that he had served his country.”
The loss of that solemn recognition also robs families of watching a grateful nation recognize these veterans, said Jay Anderson, a Marine Corps veteran and member of the Patriot Guard Riders. The volunteer organization participates in veteran funerals at families’ requests.
“Sometimes there are more of us than there are in the family,” Anderson said, because sometimes veterans outlive those who are close to them.
Anderson said the honors rendered at these burial ceremonies — such as when the honor guard removes the American flag from the casket, folds it and presents it to the family — give families a sense of closure.
“I’ve seen husbands, wives, brothers ... clutching those folded flags to their chests at the final moment,” he said. “It is so, so special. That’s when the nation has stood up and recognized their hero for their service.”
For now the VA is offering families the option to postpone burials or proceed with burials but hold a memorial service at a later date.
A VA spokeswoman said both San Diego national cemeteries could resume allowing traditional ceremonies soon.
“Both cemeteries are developing plans to resume committal and memorial services, but we have no scheduling announcements at this time,” Jessica Baxter, a Los Angeles VA spokeswoman, said in an email.
According to Baxter, VA cemeteries will return to normal operations when they can adhere to local health guidelines, such as social distancing, when they can allow at-risk populations to attend and when military personnel are available to provide military honors.
The decision, she said, is up to the National Cemetery Administration.
Until that decision is made, families such as the Carpenters and the Bartletts face two uncomfortable choices — watch burials from their cars or delay burial for weeks.
The Carpenters are waiting, they said.
Bartlett said his father will be buried at Miramar on Friday with the family watching from their cars.
“We visited Miramar and Rosecrans,” Bartlett said. “A funeral with full military honors was something he always believed in. He wanted that — my mother deserved it, too.”
The families each said they understand the importance of protecting people from COVID-19 but accommodations could be made. Anderson agreed, saying that other parts of San Diego are reopening.
“I’m not advocating going into a church or mortuary,” Anderson said, “but if we can do other things to reopen, we can come up with a process in such a way that would be appropriate, dignified and would honor the deceased.”
Memorial Day changes
Memorial Day observances also will veer from tradition this year because of COVID-19 regulations prohibiting large public gatherings.
Every year in San Diego, major commemorations are held at four landmark sites: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, the USS Midway Museum, Miramar National Cemetery and the Mt. Soledad memorial.
This year the four events will be combined into one hourlong virtual simulcast ceremony that people can watch live, without leaving their homes. The service will shift from location to location, each featuring a special event.
As before, there will be bagpipes, wreath laying, buglers playing echo taps and a military jet flyby in the missing man formation.
This time the live ceremony will be simulcast on www.sandiegomemorialdaylive.com from 9 to 10 a.m. and posted on YouTube and other websites afterward.
Each of the four locations will concentrate on memorials for veterans who served in various eras of service, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, recent conflicts and the war on terrorism.
Each site will have 15 minutes and will feature speakers, including MCRD Brig. Gen. Ryan Heritage, Navy Region Southwest Cmdr. Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, U.S. Atty. Bob Brewer of the Southern District of California and others.
No public spectators will be allowed to attend the live simulcast services.
Diane Bell of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-24--California beaches back in business: People 'don't want to be trapped at home'

Memorial Day weekend brought crowds to beaches , trails and parks , but officials said that for the most part there were no major problems and that most people appeared to be following social distancing rules .
Health officials have said this holiday weekend will be a big test of whether California can ease stay-at-home restrictions while continuing to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
State officials have now cleared 47 counties to resume in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping .
Among the latest were Orange and Riverside , two of California ’ s largest population centers .
In Orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 deaths over the last week — officials said they were thrilled they could begin reopening the battered economy .
Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Brian O ’ Rourke described the numbers at the city ’ s beaches on Saturday as moderate and in keeping with expectations for Memorial Day weekend .
O ’ Rourke added that active use was encouraged , which includes reinforcement with signage .
With beachgoers heading for the water , lifeguards ’ attention was required there — O ’ Rourke said there were about 50 ocean rescues on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kai Bond , interviewed Saturday , said there were “ some summer-like crowds ” and that the public was generally following the rules .
Beachgoers found sand and surf in Huntington Beach , although the pier remained gated off , but they still had plenty to do .
Zack ’ s , on the west side of the pier , was offering nearly all of its services except surfing lessons .
Joseph Ali , 32 , of Huntington Beach , a manager at Zack ’ s , said Saturday that “ procedure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business and that surfing lessons were “ too hands-on ” to provide while the continued to be a concern .
Zack ’ s , which also serves food and provides bike rentals , was operating in those capacities , two weeks removed from its own reopening .
Ali , watching over a grill full of hot dogs , said customers were grateful it was open again .
“ They want to enjoy the beach , ” Ali said .
“ They want to feel like they ’ re normal again .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home again .
...
It ’ s good for business , it ’ s good for the community , it brings revenue to the city .
We ’ re here feeding the people , renting bikes ; everything ’ s going great so far.
” Main Street enjoyed improved foot traffic in the , allowing some businesses to open their doors with alterations to continue to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
Ali is pleased that more establishments have been able to open .
“ We are happy that everyone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Main Street , the beach , the lifeguards , the police , the enforcement , we are all working together to , No .
1 , keep our beaches safe [ and ] , No .
2 , have convenience for the beachgoers.
” Jason Schriner of Riverside enjoyed a bite to eat on Saturday with his wife , Stacy , and young daughter on a low wall near the beachside bike path in Huntington Beach .
He said he was concerned about restaurants that still couldn ’ t offer dine-in service .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go and pay retail prices and not enjoy sitting down and having a meal ?
” he said .
“ That ’ s the big problem .
You go out to eat to sit , not to go out , pick the food up and go somewhere else.
” In San Diego County , couples and families stayed active and moving for the most part on the sands of Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach , with a few stopping here and there to wade in the water .
Surfers caught waves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around on all-terrain vehicles to make sure nobody stayed in one place for too long , per county public health orders .
Jonathan Leday and his wife , Ciera , with their toddlers Cailee and Caliyah in tow , drove to Pacific Beach from El Cajon to get some fresh air and put their feet in the sand .
“ We hadn ’ t left the house in so long , ” Jonathan Leday said as the family walked along the shore .
“ We ’ ve been quarantined indoors for a while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be fine with the beaches open .
In this big of an area we would have a lot of space to be on our own — and we brought our masks.
” Not allowed to stretch out in the sand , Cameron Kazmar , a 17-year-old surfer and temporarily furloughed pizza busboy from North Park , lounged in the back of his SUV in a parking lot near the pier in Pacific Beach .
He scrolled through his cellphone , waiting for the wind to die down so he could catch some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking forward to getting back to work here pretty soon .
I don ’ t want to sit on the unemployment cushion , ” Kazmar said .
“ We all need to get out and socialize with the crowd again .
But for now , I want to keep the surfing going and enjoy the time here.
” San Diego police Sgt .
Matt Novak said for the most part people were complying and moving along .
More officers than normal were on duty Saturday , patrolling the area from La Jolla Shores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the bays .
Ninety percent of their efforts were focused on educating the public on safety requirements , he said .
Meanwhile , in Los Angeles County , lifeguards said beachgoers were largely following the rules over the Memorial Day weekend .
Some beaches were more crowded than others .
Hermosa Beach Police Sgt .
Jonathan Sibbald told KTLA that officers had to advise some beachgoers against drinking on Saturday and ask them to maintain spatial awareness .
Overall , he said , people behaved fine .
Karen Pearlman and Morgan Cook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this report .

Memorial Day weekend brought crowds to beaches, trails and parks, but officials said that for the most part there were no major problems and that most people appeared to be following social distancing rules.
Health officials have said this holiday weekend will be a big test of whether California can ease stay-at-home restrictions while continuing to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Overall, officials said there were no major problems are beaches, though some places like the Venice Boardwalk saw dense crowds with some not wearing masks.
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Officials closed Eaton Canyon Natural Areas & Trails for the rest of the Memorial Day weekend amid concerns that crowded conditions could pose health risks. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation said the area was shuttered “due to overwhelming crowds that were not following the COVID-19 public health requirements.”
State officials have now cleared 47 counties to resume in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping. Among the latest were Orange and Riverside, two of California’s largest population centers.
Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Brian O’Rourke described the numbers at the city’s beaches on Saturday as moderate and in keeping with expectations for Memorial Day weekend.
O’Rourke added that active use was encouraged, which includes reinforcement with signage. With beachgoers heading for the water, lifeguards’ attention was required there — O’Rourke said there were about 50 ocean rescues on Friday.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety Capt. Kai Bond, interviewed Saturday, said there were “some summer-like crowds” and that the public was generally following the rules.
Beachgoers found sand and surf in Huntington Beach, although the pier remained gated off, but they still had plenty to do.
Advertisement
Zack’s, on the west side of the pier, was offering nearly all of its services except surfing lessons.
Joseph Ali, 32, of Huntington Beach, a manager at Zack’s, said Saturday that “procedure and safety” remained top priority for the business and that surfing lessons were “too hands-on” to provide while the coronavirus pandemic continued to be a concern.
Zack’s, which also serves food and provides bike rentals, was operating in those capacities, two weeks removed from its own reopening. Ali, watching over a grill full of hot dogs, said customers were grateful it was open again.
“They want to enjoy the beach,” Ali said. “They want to feel like they’re normal again. They don’t want to be trapped at home again. ... It’s good for business, it’s good for the community, it brings revenue to the city. We’re here feeding the people, renting bikes; everything’s going great so far.”
Main Street enjoyed improved foot traffic in the second stage of reopening , allowing some businesses to open their doors with alterations to continue to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Ali is pleased that more establishments have been able to open.
“We are happy that everyone is open,” he said. “Main Street, the beach, the lifeguards, the police, the enforcement, we are all working together to, No. 1, keep our beaches safe [and], No. 2, have convenience for the beachgoers.”
Jason Schriner of Riverside enjoyed a bite to eat on Saturday with his wife, Stacy, and young daughter on a low wall near the beachside bike path in Huntington Beach. He said he was concerned about restaurants that still couldn’t offer dine-in service.
“How many people are actually going to go and pay retail prices and not enjoy sitting down and having a meal?” he said. “That’s the big problem. You go out to eat to sit, not to go out, pick the food up and go somewhere else.”
In San Diego County, couples and families stayed active and moving for the most part on the sands of Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach, with a few stopping here and there to wade in the water. Surfers caught waves and children played catch as police officers zoomed around on all-terrain vehicles to make sure nobody stayed in one place for too long, per county public health orders.
Jonathan Leday and his wife, Ciera, with their toddlers Cailee and Caliyah in tow, drove to Pacific Beach from El Cajon to get some fresh air and put their feet in the sand.
“We hadn’t left the house in so long,” Jonathan Leday said as the family walked along the shore. “We’ve been quarantined indoors for a while now, and we figured we’d be fine with the beaches open. In this big of an area we would have a lot of space to be on our own — and we brought our masks.”
Not allowed to stretch out in the sand, Cameron Kazmar, a 17-year-old surfer and temporarily furloughed pizza busboy from North Park, lounged in the back of his SUV in a parking lot near the pier in Pacific Beach. He scrolled through his cellphone, waiting for the wind to die down so he could catch some more waves.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to work here pretty soon. I don’t want to sit on the unemployment cushion,” Kazmar said. “We all need to get out and socialize with the crowd again. But for now, I want to keep the surfing going and enjoy the time here.”
San Diego police Sgt. Matt Novak said for the most part people were complying and moving along.
More officers than normal were on duty Saturday, patrolling the area from La Jolla Shores to South Mission Beach, as well as the bays. Ninety percent of their efforts were focused on educating the public on safety requirements, he said.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles County, lifeguards said beachgoers were largely following the rules over the Memorial Day weekend. Some beaches were more crowded than others. Hermosa Beach Police Sgt. Jonathan Sibbald told KTLA that officers had to advise some beachgoers against drinking on Saturday and ask them to maintain spatial awareness. Overall, he said, people behaved fine.
Karen Pearlman and Morgan Cook of the San Diego Union-Tribune and Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-24--More COVID-19 cases linked to California church services

More coronavirus infections have been tied to two Mother ’ s Day church services in Mendocino and Butte counties , officials announced this week .
That disclosure comes as Gov .
Gavin Newsom is poised to provide plans for reopening California churches amid mounting pressure to allow in-person religious services both from protesters and President Trump , who is demanding that governors take action immediately .
Nine cases of COVID-19 , the infection caused by the coronavirus , are now linked to the May 10 service held by the Assembly of God in the Mendocino County city of Redwood Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and included singing , county public health officials said Friday .
Mendocino County health orders permit churches to produce events that are livestreamed or recorded , provided certain precautions are taken .
They include specific measures to mitigate the risk associated with singing , which experts believe can spew viral particles into the air .
Officials announced last week that three people had become infected after physically attending the service , with two of them participating .
One person was hospitalized .
That person ’ s spouse then disclosed the couple ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because of the social media share , officials were allowed to release the church ’ s name to the public and advise congregants to obtain testing , Dr. Noemi Doohan , Mendocino County public health officer , said Friday at a news conference .
On Tuesday , the county launched a large-scale drive-through testing site in Redwood Valley for the purpose .
Officials learned Friday morning that six more people had tested positive , all of them connected to the Assembly of God church , Doohan said .
“ When we have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s very concerning because we know that these individuals have had other contacts since contracting the disease , ” she said .
Public health officials were working to identify and reach out to the infected people ’ s contacts and arrange for them to obtain free testing , Doohan said .
The new infections brought the number of coronavirus cases in Mendocino County from 15 to 21 .
Two people were hospitalized .
The spike in infections came as the county received state approval to move into a more aggressive stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping .
“ I know this is a challenging time when we have on one hand outbreaks and on the other hand we have limited reopenings , ” Doohan said .
She urged residents to follow health orders and warned that if cases rose to the point where the healthcare system became strained , officials might have to reverse course on relaxing the rules .
“ I do not believe we are at that point today , ” she said , but “ this weekend if we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders , in other words coming together , having parties , if businesses do not comply with the orders , if people ignore the reality of this pandemic , this weekend could be disastrous for us.
” In Butte County , two coronavirus cases are now believed to be linked to a May 10 church service that was held despite county rules and drew more than 180 attendees , officials said .
The pastor , Mike Jacobsen of Palermo Bible Family Church , spoke out on social media about his decision to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never with knowledge put anyone in harms way.
” One person received a positive test result the day after the service , officials said .
On Friday , the Butte County Public Health Department said another recent case had been linked to the service but did not provide the date the case was recorded .
Butte County has seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases , bringing its total to 34 , but most of them are not linked to the church service , officials said .
The county was cleared to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses on May 9 .
“ We are seeing a pretty dramatic increase in cases , ” Dr. Andy Miller , the county public health officer , said Friday .
“ We thought we would see an uptick in cases when we started to open up , but in the last two days , we have seen seven new cases in Oroville alone.
” The cases indicate an increase in community spread in the Oroville area , officials said .
After Butte County experienced many weeks with no coronavirus hospitalizations , five people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Miller said Friday .
“ If we continue to see more cases coming quickly and we continue to see more hospitalizations — five of them in the last two days — we will lose lives , ” he said , “ and we will not be able to open the businesses that we want to , and we will have to put further restrictions on businesses , which we don ’ t want to have to do.
” At a COVID-19 briefing held at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d announce plans for churches to reopen .
“ We look forward to churches reopening in a safe and responsible manner , ” he said , “ and we have guidelines that we anticipated completing on Monday and we ’ re on track to do just that.
” His comments came hours after Trump made an unexpected appearance in the White House briefing room to declare that he was designating churches as “ essential ” businesses so that they could immediately reopen .
Trump , who has said he would leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states but has often criticized decisions by individual governors , threatened that he would “ override ” states that didn ’ t heed his directive .
It was not clear what authority he was referring to .
Under California ’ s four-stage plan to relax stay-at-home restrictions , churches can resume in-person services in Phase 3 .
The state is currently moving through Phase 2 .
On Friday night , the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Newsom ’ s ban on in-person church services , a split ruling that is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is trampling on religious freedoms .
The South Bay United Pentecostal Church in San Diego can not reopen immediately , the two judges in the majority wrote in their order , because in this case “ constitutional standards that would normally govern our review of a Free Exercise claim should not be applied.
” “ We ’ re dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure .
In the words of Justice Robert Jackson , if a ' [ c ] ourt does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little practical wisdom , it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact , ’ ” they wrote .
The decision came the same week more than 1,200 pastors vowed to hold in-person services on May 31 , Pentecost Sunday , defying the state moratorium on religious gatherings that Newsom imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Times staff writers Sonali Kohli , Phil Willon and Eli Stokols contributed to this report .

More coronavirus cases have been tied to two Mother’s Day church services in Mendocino and Butte counties, officials announced this week.
More coronavirus infections have been tied to two Mother’s Day church services in Mendocino and Butte counties, officials announced this week.
That disclosure comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom is poised to provide plans for reopening California churches amid mounting pressure to allow in-person religious services both from protesters and President Trump, who is demanding that governors take action immediately.
Nine cases of COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, are now linked to the May 10 service held by the Assembly of God in the Mendocino County city of Redwood Valley. The service was livestreamed to congregants and included singing, county public health officials said Friday.
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Mendocino County health orders permit churches to produce events that are livestreamed or recorded, provided certain precautions are taken. They include specific measures to mitigate the risk associated with singing, which experts believe can spew viral particles into the air.
Officials announced last week that three people had become infected after physically attending the service, with two of them participating. One person was hospitalized.
That person’s spouse then disclosed the couple’s affiliation with the church on Facebook. Because of the social media share, officials were allowed to release the church’s name to the public and advise congregants to obtain testing, Dr. Noemi Doohan, Mendocino County public health officer, said Friday at a news conference.
On Tuesday, the county launched a large-scale drive-through testing site in Redwood Valley for the purpose. Officials learned Friday morning that six more people had tested positive, all of them connected to the Assembly of God church, Doohan said.
“When we have an outbreak of such a large magnitude, it’s very concerning because we know that these individuals have had other contacts since contracting the disease,” she said.
Public health officials were working to identify and reach out to the infected people’s contacts and arrange for them to obtain free testing, Doohan said.
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The new infections brought the number of coronavirus cases in Mendocino County from 15 to 21. Two people were hospitalized.
The spike in infections came as the county received state approval to move into a more aggressive stage of reopening businesses, clearing the way for in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping.
“I know this is a challenging time when we have on one hand outbreaks and on the other hand we have limited reopenings,” Doohan said. She urged residents to follow health orders and warned that if cases rose to the point where the healthcare system became strained, officials might have to reverse course on relaxing the rules.
“I do not believe we are at that point today,” she said, but “this weekend if we have people defying the health officer’s orders, in other words coming together, having parties, if businesses do not comply with the orders, if people ignore the reality of this pandemic, this weekend could be disastrous for us.”
In Butte County, two coronavirus cases are now believed to be linked to a May 10 church service that was held despite county rules and drew more than 180 attendees, officials said.
The pastor, Mike Jacobsen of Palermo Bible Family Church, spoke out on social media about his decision to hold the service, saying he would “never with knowledge put anyone in harms way.”
One person received a positive test result the day after the service, officials said. On Friday, the Butte County Public Health Department said another recent case had been linked to the service but did not provide the date the case was recorded.
Butte County has seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 34, but most of them are not linked to the church service, officials said. The county was cleared to move into an accelerated Phase 2 of reopening businesses on May 9.
“We are seeing a pretty dramatic increase in cases,” Dr. Andy Miller, the county public health officer, said Friday. “We thought we would see an uptick in cases when we started to open up, but in the last two days, we have seen seven new cases in Oroville alone.” The cases indicate an increase in community spread in the Oroville area, officials said.
After Butte County experienced many weeks with no coronavirus hospitalizations, five people were hospitalized in the past two days, Miller said Friday.
“If we continue to see more cases coming quickly and we continue to see more hospitalizations — five of them in the last two days — we will lose lives,” he said, “and we will not be able to open the businesses that we want to, and we will have to put further restrictions on businesses, which we don’t want to have to do.”
At a COVID-19 briefing held at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville on Friday, Newsom indicated that this week he’d announce plans for churches to reopen.
“We look forward to churches reopening in a safe and responsible manner,” he said, “and we have guidelines that we anticipated completing on Monday and we’re on track to do just that.”
His comments came hours after Trump made an unexpected appearance in the White House briefing room to declare that he was designating churches as “essential” businesses so that they could immediately reopen.
Trump, who has said he would leave decisions about easing public health guidance to states but has often criticized decisions by individual governors, threatened that he would “override” states that didn’t heed his directive. It was not clear what authority he was referring to.
Under California’s four-stage plan to relax stay-at-home restrictions, churches can resume in-person services in Phase 3. The state is currently moving through Phase 2.
On Friday night, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Newsom’s ban on in-person church services, a split ruling that is likely to further anger pastors who claim that California is trampling on religious freedoms.
The South Bay United Pentecostal Church in San Diego cannot reopen immediately, the two judges in the majority wrote in their order, because in this case “constitutional standards that would normally govern our review of a Free Exercise claim should not be applied.”
“We’re dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure. In the words of Justice Robert Jackson, if a ‘[c]ourt does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact,’” they wrote.
The decision came the same week more than 1,200 pastors vowed to hold in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, defying the state moratorium on religious gatherings that Newsom imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Times staff writers Sonali Kohli, Phil Willon and Eli Stokols contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-24--Earthquake: Magnitude-3.8 quake near Ridgecrest, Calif.

A magnitude-3.8 earthquake was reported at 5:55 a.m. Sunday 13 miles from Ridgecrest , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 41 miles from California City , 63 miles from Tehachapi , 66 miles from Bakersfield and 69 miles from Rosamond .
It occurred at a depth of 4.3 miles .
The quake was preceded Sunday by a magnitude-3.5 shaker at 4:30 a.m. , also 13 miles from Ridgecrest .
That temblor occurred at a depth of 3.9 miles .
In the last 10 days , there have been six earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
Did you feel these earthquakes ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude-3.8 earthquake was reported by the USGS at 5:55 a.m. Sunday near Ridgecrest, Calif.
A magnitude-3.8 earthquake was reported at 5:55 a.m. Sunday 13 miles from Ridgecrest, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 41 miles from California City, 63 miles from Tehachapi, 66 miles from Bakersfield and 69 miles from Rosamond. It occurred at a depth of 4.3 miles.
The quake was preceded Sunday by a magnitude-3.5 shaker at 4:30 a.m., also 13 miles from Ridgecrest. That temblor occurred at a depth of 3.9 miles.
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In the last 10 days, there have been six earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
Did you feel these earthquakes? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-05-24--How coronavirus has upended life for thousands at California's largest apartment complex

In the middle of March , Luc Bernard came down with something he had never felt before .
He had a constant cough , trouble breathing and couldn ’ t get to sleep .
Fearing he had the novel coronavirus , he went to the hospital .
Back then , it was hard to get tested .
Instead , doctors told him to go home and self-isolate .
But that ’ s not easy when you live in Park La Brea , surrounded by more than 10,000 people , all connected via elevators , hallways , tree-lined paths and parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Residential Apartments , that he planned to sequester himself in the two-story , three-bedroom apartment he shares with a roommate .
So he was surprised to come downstairs one morning to find a maintenance worker fixing a broken light in his kitchen .
“ He had a mask and everything on , but I was still like , ‘ What the hell ?
’ ” said Bernard , a 33-year-old video game developer .
Nowhere in Los Angeles are the logistical , financial and health complications of the coronavirus outbreak on greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest housing complex west of the Mississippi River .
The post-World War II landmark on the Miracle Mile is home to a small town ’ s worth of people living in 4,245 high-rise and garden-style apartments on 160 acres .
Older tenants worry about crowding into elevators with maskless neighbors .
Younger tenants worry about how they ’ re going to pay rent .
And everyone seems to have a story about an awkward interaction in one of Park La Brea ’ s communal laundry rooms or along one of its manicured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents say , have warned of the coronavirus spreading within Park La Brea — though there ’ s no evidence that ’ s happening — and management ’ s response to the pandemic has frustrated some tenants .
Nevertheless , many say they love living at Park La Brea despite the immense challenges of being so close together when people are supposed to be as far apart as possible .
Sharing the pandemic experience has amplified a sense of community that residents say is helping them cope .
“ You can see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their back porches , calling out to each other , ” said Sabrina Knight , 26 , who co-owns a digital marketing business and has lived at the complex for nearly four years .
“ Everyone ’ s in the same boat.
” On a recent Friday afternoon , roommates Asante Parker and Autumn Slyve were taking a break after a run outside .
The 22-year-olds moved into Park La Brea last fall after graduating from UCLA and are embarking on careers in the entertainment industry .
They liked living there so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move into another apartment down one of the manicured streets .
After the state and local stay-at-home orders went into effect , Parker and Slyve lost their restaurant jobs .
They ’ re struggling to make ends meet .
Slyve skipped her rent in April but recently got some money from her mom and a check from an acting job — enough to take care of food and housing costs for now .
Parker is earning cash by teaching dance lessons on Zoom .
The women mostly worry about big things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry about small , regular social interactions within Park La Brea .
“ We just saw a cute dog and we didn ’ t know if we could pet it , ” Parker lamented .
Susan Ferris , president of the Park La Brea Residents Assn.
, said she expected to hear from tenants who were upset .
But she was surprised to hear gripes about the closure of the complex ’ s gym , café and movie theater .
She has fielded complaints about people walking their dogs without leashes .
Sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , she said .
“ A lot of it is keeping people calm , ” said Ferris , 56 , who owns a talent management company .
“ They really have turned to us to let them know we ’ re all in it together and we ’ re all going to get through it together.
” Park La Brea was designed to feel like a stand-alone community .
Planning began in the late 1930s , with long blocks of two-story apartments envisioned along diagonal streets to set them apart from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A housing shortage after World War II led developers to add 13-story towers to the design .
When the complex was complete in 1952 , 18 of them were connected by roads lined with garden apartment buildings , tree-filled medians and expansive open spaces .
Over the decades , Park La Brea has cycled through eras of chic — actor Charlton Heston lived there in the 1950s — shabby chic and just plain shabby .
But the complex has remained popular over the years because of its competitive rental rates , reputation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in Hollywood and great location , sandwiched between the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Grove .
Many Angelenos have lived at Park La Brea or know someone who has .
Recently , the economic devastation tied to the coronavirus has led many tenants to scramble to pay their rent .
In late March , the Los Angeles City Council approved new rules to prevent evictions by giving economically affected tenants a year to pay past-due rent .
Initially , tenants said Park La Brea ’ s management sent them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank statements and other financial information if they wanted to avoid being thrown out for not paying rent .
City regulations don ’ t mandate such disclosures outside of a courtroom .
Management later clarified that it was only requiring documentation to qualify for an internal Park La Brea program , under which tenants would get a 10 % discount on rent in April and May if they agreed to repay it by the end of August .
But the residents ’ association is telling tenants to be wary of that offer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it easier to file evictions later .
Prime Residential Apartments says that ’ s not its plan .
Park La Brea also has slashed the rent on vacant apartments in recent months .
That has encouraged existing tenants , many of whom are looking to save money in an economic downturn , to break their leases and move into other apartments within the complex .
David Patton , 63 , lived in a two-bedroom , one-bathroom garden apartment with his wife and son .
They paid $ 2,660 a month .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park La Brea — for $ 400 a month cheaper .
A supervisor at an Amazon retail store , Patton said he would have preferred if Prime Residential Apartments had just lowered the rent for his previous apartment .
But that wasn ’ t the deal .
“ It was inconvenient , ” Patton said , “ but the inconvenience was outweighed by the economics.
” Moving , even within Park La Brea , means running afoul of public health orders to stay at home as much as possible and to avoid mingling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
That worried Knight , who is immunocompromised .
But the digital marketer felt she had little choice but to get her own apartment .
After three of her four roommates moved out in March , she finally decided it was time .
Knight began by wearing an N95 mask and gloves while she and some friends used a dolly to wheel furniture down the street .
But it got so hot out that she ultimately had to take off the gloves and switch to a cloth mask .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ La Brea residents have contracted the virus .
As of Saturday 19 people had tested positive in Park La Brea and the surrounding neighborhood , according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health .
Parker and Slyve said someone posted a handwritten note in an elevator saying that multiple people were infected in the complex .
Prime Residential Apartments said it learned of one tenant who had it and notified residents in mid-April .
However , it didn ’ t remove notices posted in the lobbies of some apartment buildings that said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been infected .
Management changed the signage after being notified by The Times .
Even though Park La Brea ’ s size makes it exceptional , the responsibilities for tenants and landlords during the pandemic are largely the same as they would be in a smaller development , said Shira Shafir , an associate professor at UCLA ’ s Fielding School of Public Health .
Residents should get tested if they have symptoms , isolate themselves in their apartments if they test positive and notify county public health officials of others with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact , she said .
And landlords should provide accurate information to tenants , clean common areas and respond to the public health department .
“ It ’ s not as if just living in the same apartment building changes someone ’ s risk , ” said Shafir , who lived in Park La Brea when she was a graduate student at UCLA .
“ It ’ s really about the contacts that an individual has had.
” Before moving day , Knight said she hadn ’ t left her apartment in weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank for the security deposit .
In her new place , Knight won ’ t turn on her central air conditioning because she ’ s afraid of what ’ s in the vents .
Her parents , who live in central Massachusetts , offered to let her move home and ride out the pandemic there .
But Knight thought of the sounds of children playing outside her apartment , how close she ’ s gotten with her neighbors and the small joys such as listening to people drive around the community honking their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I can ’ t really see myself anywhere else , ” Knight said .

Sabrina Knight, 26, is worried about the spread of the novel coronavirus within Park La Brea, the largest apartment complex west of the Mississippi River, but she’s happy living there.
In the middle of March, Luc Bernard came down with something he had never felt before. He had a constant cough, trouble breathing and couldn’t get to sleep. Fearing he had the novel coronavirus, he went to the hospital.
Back then, it was hard to get tested. Instead, doctors told him to go home and self-isolate. But that’s not easy when you live in Park La Brea, surrounded by more than 10,000 people, all connected via elevators, hallways, tree-lined paths and parking lots.
Bernard told his landlord, Prime Residential Apartments, that he planned to sequester himself in the two-story, three-bedroom apartment he shares with a roommate. So he was surprised to come downstairs one morning to find a maintenance worker fixing a broken light in his kitchen.
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“He had a mask and everything on, but I was still like, ‘What the hell?’” said Bernard, a 33-year-old video game developer.
Nowhere in Los Angeles are the logistical, financial and health complications of the coronavirus outbreak on greater display than at Park La Brea — the largest housing complex west of the Mississippi River. The post-World War II landmark on the Miracle Mile is home to a small town’s worth of people living in 4,245 high-rise and garden-style apartments on 160 acres.
Older tenants worry about crowding into elevators with maskless neighbors. Younger tenants worry about how they’re going to pay rent. And everyone seems to have a story about an awkward interaction in one of Park La Brea’s communal laundry rooms or along one of its manicured streets or sidewalks.
Homemade signs, residents say, have warned of the coronavirus spreading within Park La Brea — though there’s no evidence that’s happening — and management’s response to the pandemic has frustrated some tenants.
Nevertheless, many say they love living at Park La Brea despite the immense challenges of being so close together when people are supposed to be as far apart as possible. Sharing the pandemic experience has amplified a sense of community that residents say is helping them cope.
“You can see that people are out and about, sitting on their back porches, calling out to each other,” said Sabrina Knight, 26, who co-owns a digital marketing business and has lived at the complex for nearly four years. “Everyone’s in the same boat.”
The Park La Brea complex is home to a small town’s worth of people living in 4,245 high-rise and garden-style apartments on 160 acres. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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On a recent Friday afternoon, roommates Asante Parker and Autumn Slyve were taking a break after a run outside.
The 22-year-olds moved into Park La Brea last fall after graduating from UCLA and are embarking on careers in the entertainment industry. They liked living there so much that Parker’s mother agreed to move into another apartment down one of the manicured streets.
After the state and local stay-at-home orders went into effect, Parker and Slyve lost their restaurant jobs. They’re struggling to make ends meet. Slyve skipped her rent in April but recently got some money from her mom and a check from an acting job — enough to take care of food and housing costs for now. Parker is earning cash by teaching dance lessons on Zoom.
The women mostly worry about big things, including their health. But they also worry about small, regular social interactions within Park La Brea.
“We just saw a cute dog and we didn’t know if we could pet it,” Parker lamented.
Susan Ferris, president of the Park La Brea Residents Assn., said she expected to hear from tenants who were upset. But she was surprised to hear gripes about the closure of the complex’s gym, café and movie theater. She has fielded complaints about people walking their dogs without leashes.
Sometimes tenants just want someone to listen to them, she said.
“A lot of it is keeping people calm,” said Ferris, 56, who owns a talent management company. “They really have turned to us to let them know we’re all in it together and we’re all going to get through it together.”
Susan Ferris, president of the Park La Brea Residents Assn., near Alandale Circle. Tenants, she says, “really have turned to us to let them know we’re all in it together.” (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Park La Brea was designed to feel like a stand-alone community. Planning began in the late 1930s, with long blocks of two-story apartments envisioned along diagonal streets to set them apart from the gridded streetscape seen throughout Los Angeles.
A housing shortage after World War II led developers to add 13-story towers to the design. When the complex was complete in 1952, 18 of them were connected by roads lined with garden apartment buildings, tree-filled medians and expansive open spaces.
Over the decades, Park La Brea has cycled through eras of chic — actor Charlton Heston lived there in the 1950s — shabby chic and just plain shabby.
But the complex has remained popular over the years because of its competitive rental rates, reputation as a haven for those trying to make it in Hollywood and great location, sandwiched between the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Grove. Many Angelenos have lived at Park La Brea or know someone who has.
Recently, the economic devastation tied to the coronavirus has led many tenants to scramble to pay their rent.
In late March, the Los Angeles City Council approved new rules to prevent evictions by giving economically affected tenants a year to pay past-due rent.
Initially, tenants said Park La Brea’s management sent them a letter requiring them to turn over bank statements and other financial information if they wanted to avoid being thrown out for not paying rent. City regulations don’t mandate such disclosures outside of a courtroom.
Management later clarified that it was only requiring documentation to qualify for an internal Park La Brea program, under which tenants would get a 10% discount on rent in April and May if they agreed to repay it by the end of August.
But the residents’ association is telling tenants to be wary of that offer, fearing enrolling in the program could make it easier to file evictions later. Prime Residential Apartments says that’s not its plan.
Park La Brea also has slashed the rent on vacant apartments in recent months. That has encouraged existing tenants, many of whom are looking to save money in an economic downturn, to break their leases and move into other apartments within the complex.
David Patton, 63, lived in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom garden apartment with his wife and son. They paid $2,660 a month. But the family found a slightly larger apartment in Park La Brea — for $400 a month cheaper. A supervisor at an Amazon retail store, Patton said he would have preferred if Prime Residential Apartments had just lowered the rent for his previous apartment. But that wasn’t the deal.
“It was inconvenient,” Patton said, “but the inconvenience was outweighed by the economics.”
Park La Brea’s landlord, Prime Residential Apartments, said it learned of one tenant who contracted COVID-19 and notified residents in mid-April. Signage saying management is unaware of any tenants who have been infected has been removed. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Moving, even within Park La Brea, means running afoul of public health orders to stay at home as much as possible and to avoid mingling with others to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
That worried Knight, who is immunocompromised. But the digital marketer felt she had little choice but to get her own apartment.
After three of her four roommates moved out in March, she finally decided it was time. Knight began by wearing an N95 mask and gloves while she and some friends used a dolly to wheel furniture down the street. But it got so hot out that she ultimately had to take off the gloves and switch to a cloth mask.
It’s hard to know how many Park La Brea residents have contracted the virus. As of Saturday 19 people had tested positive in Park La Brea and the surrounding neighborhood, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
Parker and Slyve said someone posted a handwritten note in an elevator saying that multiple people were infected in the complex.
Prime Residential Apartments said it learned of one tenant who had it and notified residents in mid-April. However, it didn’t remove notices posted in the lobbies of some apartment buildings that said management was unaware of any tenants who had been infected. Management changed the signage after being notified by The Times.
Even though Park La Brea’s size makes it exceptional, the responsibilities for tenants and landlords during the pandemic are largely the same as they would be in a smaller development, said Shira Shafir, an associate professor at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health.
Residents should get tested if they have symptoms, isolate themselves in their apartments if they test positive and notify county public health officials of others with whom they’ve recently been in contact, she said. And landlords should provide accurate information to tenants, clean common areas and respond to the public health department.
“It’s not as if just living in the same apartment building changes someone’s risk,” said Shafir, who lived in Park La Brea when she was a graduate student at UCLA. “It’s really about the contacts that an individual has had.”
Before moving day, Knight said she hadn’t left her apartment in weeks except to get a check from her bank for the security deposit. In her new place, Knight won’t turn on her central air conditioning because she’s afraid of what’s in the vents.
Her parents, who live in central Massachusetts, offered to let her move home and ride out the pandemic there. But Knight thought of the sounds of children playing outside her apartment, how close she’s gotten with her neighbors and the small joys such as listening to people drive around the community honking their horns to celebrate friends’ birthdays.
She’s staying.
“I can’t really see myself anywhere else,” Knight said.


latimes--2020-05-24--I live in an apartment complex. If I get coronavirus, am I supposed to tell people?

If you are a renter , like most Angelenos , you might be wondering what to do if someone in your apartment complex tests positive for the coronavirus .
How worried should you be ?
What would your landlord do ?
What happens if you are the one with COVID-19 ?
Are you required to tell anyone ?
As California ramps up testing for the general public , The Times set out to answer these questions and more .
We spoke with three experts : Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ; Shira @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health ; and Paula Cannon , a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at USC ’ s Keck School of Medicine .
People who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus need to know .
So if you are infected and you ’ ve been in close contact with your neighbors , you should tell them .
If you haven ’ t , then you don ’ t have to .
If you can , make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less stressful is to address what to do before you or anyone else you know tests positive .
If you live in a small apartment complex where tenants are friendly , you can have conversations — socially distanced ones , of course — about what everyone is comfortable with in terms of telling each other and notifying the landlord , Cannon said .
“ It ’ s best to have those discussions now , while there ’ s a hypothetical , ” she said .
If you do agree to tell one another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you might need if you ’ re self-isolating in your apartment .
“ People can say , ‘ Let me know if you need chicken soup and I ’ ll bring it around , or otherwise I ’ ll see you in two weeks , ’ ” Cannon said .
as if everyone in your complex already has the coronavirus The coronavirus spreads through contact with the respiratory and saliva droplets from infected people .
Because it can be transmitted through the air or by touching hard surfaces , the best practices for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has it .
People should wear masks while using common areas .
Everyone should wash their hands regularly .
And , in heavily trafficked places such as apartment elevators and lobbies , people should try to limit what they touch .
“ There ’ s a problem of thinking that if we tell people who ’ s infected , we ’ ll be safe , ” Cannon said .
“ But it ’ s impossible to know who ’ s infected with this virus at any time.
” It ’ s worth it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buttons with your elbow instead of your fingers — even if you end up on the wrong floor a few times , she said .
“ What would you do different if you knew someone had coronavirus in your apartment complex ?
” Cannon said .
“ You ’ d say well , ‘ I just wouldn ’ t touch the elevator button.
’ Well , why don ’ t you just not touch the elevator button and then we can move on.
” There ’ s nothing about living in an apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of contracting the coronavirus .
As a result , there ’ s no reason you should feel compelled to tell your neighbors if you haven ’ t been near them or in a common area , Ferrer said .
“ A tenant that lives in an apartment building that has not exposed anybody else in that apartment building doesn ’ t need to notify anyone , ” she said .
By contrast , if you ’ ve tested positive for the virus , it is important to notify the people who you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you live with them or not .
And you can work with the county to trace your contacts .
That way , others can isolate themselves to prevent further spread , Shafir said .
“ I think it is largely the responsibility of the individual to submit to a contact-tracing process , ” she said .
You also should tell your landlord if you ’ ve spent time in common areas Your landlord doesn ’ t need to know if you have the coronavirus .
But if you live in a complex with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space that you have used lately , it makes sense to notify the property manager , who then can help identify neighbors and maintenance workers who might have used it too .
“ If you ’ ve spent time in those areas , it would be a good idea to inform the manager , ” Ferrer said .
There are some good reasons not to disclose that you ’ re sick It ’ s reasonable for tenants to worry about telling others that they ’ re infected .
“ We have a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stigmatized because of their diagnosis , ” Shafir said .
“ At a time when people are struggling with social distancing and the economic consequences thereof , there ’ s a possibility in that struggle [ that ] people will look to blame others.
” And some good reasons your landlord shouldn ’ t broadcast the information either It may not make sense for landlords to tell an entire apartment complex if they learn one tenant is infected because of the same concerns about stigmatizing them .
A better response would be to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials with contact tracing .
“ Instead of giving people a false sense of security , a landlord can provide cleaning supplies and otherwise provide protections for their tenants that will help them if someone is infected or protect people from getting the disease at all , ” Cannon said .

If you are a renter, like most Angelenos, you might be wondering what to do if someone in your apartment complex tests positive for the coronavirus.
How worried should you be? What would your landlord do?
What happens if you are the one with COVID-19? Are you required to tell anyone?
As California ramps up testing for the general public, The Times set out to answer these questions and more. We spoke with three experts: Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Shira Shafir, a professor in the department of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health; and Paula Cannon, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.
Here’s what they said.
The short, TL;DR answer
People who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus need to know. So if you are infected and you’ve been in close contact with your neighbors, you should tell them. If you haven’t, then you don’t have to. If you can, make a plan
One way to make the situation less stressful is to address what to do before you or anyone else you know tests positive. If you live in a small apartment complex where tenants are friendly, you can have conversations — socially distanced ones, of course — about what everyone is comfortable with in terms of telling each other and notifying the landlord, Cannon said.
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“It’s best to have those discussions now, while there’s a hypothetical,” she said.
If you do agree to tell one another, you can talk about what help you might need if you’re self-isolating in your apartment.
“People can say, ‘Let me know if you need chicken soup and I’ll bring it around, or otherwise I’ll see you in two weeks,’” Cannon said.
Act as if everyone in your complex already has the coronavirus
The coronavirus spreads through contact with the respiratory and saliva droplets from infected people. Because it can be transmitted through the air or by touching hard surfaces, the best practices for prevention will not change if your neighbor has it.
People should wear masks while using common areas. Everyone should wash their hands regularly. And, in heavily trafficked places such as apartment elevators and lobbies, people should try to limit what they touch.
“There’s a problem of thinking that if we tell people who’s infected, we’ll be safe,” Cannon said. “But it’s impossible to know who’s infected with this virus at any time.”
It’s worth it, for instance, to push elevator buttons with your elbow instead of your fingers — even if you end up on the wrong floor a few times, she said.
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“What would you do different if you knew someone had coronavirus in your apartment complex?” Cannon said. “You’d say well, ‘I just wouldn’t touch the elevator button.’ Well, why don’t you just not touch the elevator button and then we can move on.”
There’s nothing about living in an apartment complex that inherently increases someone’s risk of contracting the coronavirus. As a result, there’s no reason you should feel compelled to tell your neighbors if you haven’t been near them or in a common area, Ferrer said.
“A tenant that lives in an apartment building that has not exposed anybody else in that apartment building doesn’t need to notify anyone,” she said.
By contrast, if you’ve tested positive for the virus, it is important to notify the people who you’ve been around lately, whether you live with them or not. And you can work with the county to trace your contacts. That way, others can isolate themselves to prevent further spread, Shafir said.
“I think it is largely the responsibility of the individual to submit to a contact-tracing process,” she said.
You also should tell your landlord if you’ve spent time in common areas
Your landlord doesn’t need to know if you have the coronavirus. But if you live in a complex with a lounge or another type of shared space that you have used lately, it makes sense to notify the property manager, who then can help identify neighbors and maintenance workers who might have used it too.
“If you’ve spent time in those areas, it would be a good idea to inform the manager,” Ferrer said.
There are some good reasons not to disclose that you’re sick
It’s reasonable for tenants to worry about telling others that they’re infected.
“We have a number of different examples where individuals have been stigmatized because of their diagnosis,” Shafir said. “At a time when people are struggling with social distancing and the economic consequences thereof, there’s a possibility in that struggle [that] people will look to blame others.”
And some good reasons your landlord shouldn’t broadcast the information either It may not make sense for landlords to tell an entire apartment complex if they learn one tenant is infected because of the same concerns about stigmatizing them. A better response would be to further increase cleaning efforts and help county public health officials with contact tracing.
“Instead of giving people a false sense of security, a landlord can provide cleaning supplies and otherwise provide protections for their tenants that will help them if someone is infected or protect people from getting the disease at all,” Cannon said.