latimes--2020-11-20--COVID-19 cases spike at partially reopened L.A. schools. How worried should we be?

Coronavirus infections among staff and students at partially reopened L.A. County schools spiked in the past week , but incomplete data make it difficult to gauge whether educators and parents should be worried or assured during the unprecedented surge in community transmission .
Last week , 164 schools in the county had reported coronavirus infections since the start of the school year .
This week , that total jumped to 263 .
Last week a total of 169 staff and 63 students had been infected ; one week later the cumulative numbers were 275 staff and 103 students , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on infections of staff and students on campuses were provided Thursday to schools leaders and school nurses in two calls with public health officials .
The Times obtained the information from interviews with those on the calls and from an audio recording .
Last week , 13 schools were linked to outbreaks since the school year began .
Three more outbreaks were reported this week .
Health officials define an outbreak as three or more cases within a 14-day period that appear to have a connection .
Dr. Robert Gilchick , child and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upside in the briefing with school nurses .
Even the outbreaks , he said , resulted in relatively few cases , typically three or four .
And most schools reported one case only .
On balance , he said , it appears that school safety protocols are working .
“ The safety protocols and infection controls that have been instituted may be working very well , ” he said on the call .
Compared to 1.43 million public school students in L.A. County and 3,185 public and private schools , the infections associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are no data on the number of students and staff on campuses .
Both school district leaders and state legislators have complained about this lack of data at the county and state level .
No schools can legally offer on-campus instruction to all enrolled students .
Instead , schools can apply for waivers to serve students in transitional kindergarten through second grade .
And schools also can bring up to 25 % of enrollment on campus at a time to serve students with special needs .
The county collects figures on which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paperwork to provide services to students with special needs , but there are no reliable numbers on how many students are receiving services on campuses in the 80 school districts in the county .
In L.A. Unified , about 2,000 of more than 460,000 students have returned to campus for tutoring .
Some researchers have concluded that the infection rate at schools tends to mirror what is going on in the community , and that reopening campuses does not make the community infection rate worse — provided that appropriate safety protocols are followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Safety protocols include sending home groups of students who come in contact with an infected individual .
That ’ s one reason why school officials have said it could be problematic to fully reopen campuses at a time of widespread community transmission— classes could be frequently disrupted by quarantines each time a student or staff member becomes infected .
The numbers this week came as officials in one Southern California school system concluded they had seen enough .
The San Bernardino school system will keep its campuses closed for the remainder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the surging coronavirus crisis in their county .
The state ’ s eighth-largest school district , with about 47,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students , may be the first in the state to make the difficult decision to keep students online .
Others districts throughout California — including Los Angeles Unified — do not yet know when they will fully reopen for in-person classes .
All Southern California counties are in the most restrictive purple tier and under state rules schools can ’ t fully reopen until a county moved to the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more schools have been providing increased in-person services and instruction to more students .
But the ongoing pandemic surge threatens to move school operations in the opposite direction .
This push-and-pull drama is playing out across the country , according to a brief released Wednesday by the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington .
While almost 16 % of America ’ s school districts said they are offering more in-person schooling now than they did at the start of the current school year , roughly 14 % have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York City , the nation ’ s largest school system , shifted back to remote learning on Thursday as cases surge across the city .
Avoiding potential instability was a factor in the San Bernardino decision .
“ The board ’ s decision is consistent with its steadfast commitment to safety for students and employees , ” the district said in an online announcement .
“ This decision will enable district staff to focus greater resources toward strengthening distance learning while also allowing families to better plan.
” The announcement stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carefully weighing local COVID-19 figures that show the virus is spreading at alarming rates and families living in its attendance boundaries are especially at risk.
” Data from the San Bernardino County Health Department indicate that the coronavirus infection rate within the school district ’ s boundaries is among the highest in the county .
The district ’ s decision underscores once again the disparity between school systems that serve more affluent communities with lower virus transmission rates versus those that serve low-income neighborhoods , which are more likely to have higher coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernardino district students are members of low-income families .
These families also have more difficulty providing supervision and support for children forced to do all their schoolwork online .
Families in low-income areas also have been among the last to receive the technology needed to do their schooling from home .

Custodian Carlo Ramos sprays a disinfecting solution on playground equipment at Lupin Hill Elementary School, one of the first L.A. County public schools to open under a special waiver.
Coronavirus infections among staff and students at partially reopened L.A. County schools spiked in the past week, but incomplete data make it difficult to gauge whether educators and parents should be worried or assured during the unprecedented surge in community transmission.
Last week, 164 schools in the county had reported coronavirus infections since the start of the school year. This week, that total jumped to 263. Last week a total of 169 staff and 63 students had been infected; one week later the cumulative numbers were 275 staff and 103 students, a 63% increase.
The latest numbers on infections of staff and students on campuses were provided Thursday to schools leaders and school nurses in two calls with public health officials. The Times obtained the information from interviews with those on the calls and from an audio recording.
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Last week, 13 schools were linked to outbreaks since the school year began. Three more outbreaks were reported this week. Health officials define an outbreak as three or more cases within a 14-day period that appear to have a connection.
Dr. Robert Gilchick, child and adolescent health section chief, saw an upside in the briefing with school nurses. Even the outbreaks, he said, resulted in relatively few cases, typically three or four. And most schools reported one case only. On balance, he said, it appears that school safety protocols are working.
“The safety protocols and infection controls that have been instituted may be working very well,” he said on the call.
Compared to 1.43 million public school students in L.A. County and 3,185 public and private schools, the infections associated with schools seem negligible. However, there are no data on the number of students and staff on campuses. Both school district leaders and state legislators have complained about this lack of data at the county and state level.
No schools can legally offer on-campus instruction to all enrolled students. Instead, schools can apply for waivers to serve students in transitional kindergarten through second grade. And schools also can bring up to 25% of enrollment on campus at a time to serve students with special needs.
The county collects figures on which schools received waivers and which schools filed paperwork to provide services to students with special needs, but there are no reliable numbers on how many students are receiving services on campuses in the 80 school districts in the county. In L.A. Unified, about 2,000 of more than 460,000 students have returned to campus for tutoring.
Some researchers have concluded that the infection rate at schools tends to mirror what is going on in the community, and that reopening campuses does not make the community infection rate worse — provided that appropriate safety protocols are followed. Other experts consider the matter unsettled.
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Safety protocols include sending home groups of students who come in contact with an infected individual. That’s one reason why school officials have said it could be problematic to fully reopen campuses at a time of widespread community transmission— classes could be frequently disrupted by quarantines each time a student or staff member becomes infected.
The numbers this week came as officials in one Southern California school system concluded they had seen enough.
The San Bernardino school system will keep its campuses closed for the remainder of the school year, a response to the surging coronavirus crisis in their county. The state’s eighth-largest school district, with about 47,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students, may be the first in the state to make the difficult decision to keep students online.
Others districts throughout California — including Los Angeles Unified — do not yet know when they will fully reopen for in-person classes. All Southern California counties are in the most restrictive purple tier and under state rules schools can’t fully reopen until a county moved to the next improved red tier.
In recent weeks, more schools have been providing increased in-person services and instruction to more students. But the ongoing pandemic surge threatens to move school operations in the opposite direction.
This push-and-pull drama is playing out across the country, according to a brief released Wednesday by the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington. While almost 16% of America’s school districts said they are offering more in-person schooling now than they did at the start of the current school year, roughly 14% have shifted toward more remote learning. Schools in New York City, the nation’s largest school system, shifted back to remote learning on Thursday as cases surge across the city.
Avoiding potential instability was a factor in the San Bernardino decision.
“The board’s decision is consistent with its steadfast commitment to safety for students and employees,” the district said in an online announcement. “This decision will enable district staff to focus greater resources toward strengthening distance learning while also allowing families to better plan.”
The announcement stated that the action was taken “after carefully weighing local COVID-19 figures that show the virus is spreading at alarming rates and families living in its attendance boundaries are especially at risk.”
Data from the San Bernardino County Health Department indicate that the coronavirus infection rate within the school district’s boundaries is among the highest in the county.
The district’s decision underscores once again the disparity between school systems that serve more affluent communities with lower virus transmission rates versus those that serve low-income neighborhoods, which are more likely to have higher coronavirus rates.
About 9 in 10 San Bernardino district students are members of low-income families. These families also have more difficulty providing supervision and support for children forced to do all their schoolwork online. Families in low-income areas also have been among the last to receive the technology needed to do their schooling from home.


latimes--2020-11-21--Cougar cubs, raccoons, kitty cats. After rehab, animals hurt by fires find new homes

California ’ s record wildfire season may not be completely over , but the trauma is ending for some of the state ’ s most vulnerable inhabitants : animals rescued from the blazes .
Several animals found injured during wildfires this year have recovered and will soon be welcomed into new homes .
One happy caregiver welcomed home her “ semi-feral ” cat , Ned , after he spent three months recovering from burns to his feet , face , ears , hind leg and tail at the hospital at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine .
The cat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property in Vacaville , where he escaped from the LNU Lightning Complex fire , according to a UC Davis news release .
Kearney managed to save 12 other cats that had been on her property , but one died and another remains missing .
She plans to build sheds to house the animals on her property , according to the release .
“ Being semi-feral , Ned was not always a cooperative patient , ” said Kate Hopper , director of UC Davis ’ Small Animal Clinic , in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powering through that daily adversity to make sure he fully recovered.
” UC Davis treated more than 1,000 animals , both wild and domestic , affected by the LNU Lightning Complex fire , according to its website .
Spokesman Rob Warren said the hospital responded to another 1,200-plus victims of the North Complex fire .
Many of the animals evaluated were deemed to be healthy and were moved to evacuation centers or sheltered in place , Warren said .
The worst cases were brought to the university hospital for treatment — a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to numbers in previous years , Warren said .
California Department of Fish and Wildlife treated fewer than 10 animals for burns this wildfire season , said spokeswoman Kirsten Macintyre .
On the wilder side , a raccoon dubbed Burnie was rescued from the Blue Ridge fire near Anaheim .
The raccoon , estimated to be between 2 and 3 years old , arrived at the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach on Nov. 2 covered in smoke and soot , said executive director Debbie McGuire .
A property owner had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the raccoon had gotten stuck in it .
McGuire couldn ’ t confirm how long the raccoon had been stuck there , or how close the fire had come to it .
“ He was very lucky that he didn ’ t get burned or [ die ] because of being trapped , but he was pretty smoky , ” McGuire said .
Once the evacuation order for the area was lifted , the trapper went back , discovered the raccoon and turned him over to OC Animal Care , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wildlife Care Center , according to McGuire .
Burnie suffered first- and second-degree burns on his front legs and paw pads , plus minor abrasions to his nose .
When staff conducted X-rays , they found he had also been shot , McGuire said .
“ I was like , ‘ Great , and on top of everything else , somebody tried to shoot you !
’ ” McGuire said .
After treating his wounds for two and a half weeks , the center ’ s staff released Burnie back into the wild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trio of mountain lion cubs have also licked their wounds from the devastating Zogg fire and are headed for a new home in Columbus , Ohio .
Firefighters found “ ” wandering alone a month and a half ago in Shasta County with singed whiskers and burned paws .
He was brought to the Oakland Zoo , where he underwent surgery , hand-feeding and 47 days of round-the-clock care .
Soon , twin female mountain lion cubs , estimated to be 5 weeks old when they lost their mother in the Zogg fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take their first flight with zoo officials to Indianapolis , then will travel to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium .
Zoo officials in Ohio hope to eventually introduce the cubs to Jessie , a nearly 17-year-old blind mountain lion who lost her brother Billy earlier this year , according to an Oakland Zoo news release .
“ Even with the cubs ’ tragic beginning , their story is actually one of survival and hope , ” said Tom Stalf , president and chief executive of Columbus Zoo and Aquarium , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cubs ’ care , and we will continue to share their important story with others as we work together to protect the future of wildlife and wild places .
”

The Oakland Zoo cared for two mountain lion cubs orphaned by the Zogg fire in Shasta County. The twins are set to move to a new home at an Ohio zoo.
California’s record wildfire season may not be completely over, but the trauma is ending for some of the state’s most vulnerable inhabitants: animals rescued from the blazes.
Several animals found injured during wildfires this year have recovered and will soon be welcomed into new homes.
One happy caregiver welcomed home her “semi-feral” cat, Ned, after he spent three months recovering from burns to his feet, face, ears, hind leg and tail at the hospital at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
The cat was rescued at Linda Kearney’s property in Vacaville, where he escaped from the LNU Lightning Complex fire, according to a UC Davis news release. Kearney managed to save 12 other cats that had been on her property, but one died and another remains missing. She plans to build sheds to house the animals on her property, according to the release.
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“Being semi-feral, Ned was not always a cooperative patient,” said Kate Hopper, director of UC Davis’ Small Animal Clinic, in a statement. “His care team did a stellar job powering through that daily adversity to make sure he fully recovered.”
UC Davis treated more than 1,000 animals, both wild and domestic, affected by the LNU Lightning Complex fire, according to its website. Spokesman Rob Warren said the hospital responded to another 1,200-plus victims of the North Complex fire.
Many of the animals evaluated were deemed to be healthy and were moved to evacuation centers or sheltered in place, Warren said. The worst cases were brought to the university hospital for treatment — a total of 97 from both fires, similar to numbers in previous years, Warren said.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife treated fewer than 10 animals for burns this wildfire season, said spokeswoman Kirsten Macintyre.
Before being released back into the wild on Thursday, Burnie the raccoon enjoyed one last favorite snack: avocados and persimmons. (Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center)
On the wilder side, a raccoon dubbed Burnie was rescued from the Blue Ridge fire near Anaheim. The raccoon, estimated to be between 2 and 3 years old, arrived at the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach on Nov. 2 covered in smoke and soot, said executive director Debbie McGuire.
A property owner had hired a trapper to catch another animal, but the raccoon had gotten stuck in it. McGuire couldn’t confirm how long the raccoon had been stuck there, or how close the fire had come to it.
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“He was very lucky that he didn’t get burned or [die] because of being trapped, but he was pretty smoky,” McGuire said.
Once the evacuation order for the area was lifted, the trapper went back, discovered the raccoon and turned him over to OC Animal Care, which handed him off to the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center, according to McGuire.
Burnie suffered first- and second-degree burns on his front legs and paw pads, plus minor abrasions to his nose. When staff conducted X-rays, they found he had also been shot, McGuire said.
“I was like, ‘Great, and on top of everything else, somebody tried to shoot you!’” McGuire said.
After treating his wounds for two and a half weeks, the center’s staff released Burnie back into the wild near where he was found.
After 47 days healing at the Oakland Zoo, Capt. Cal, a cougar cub, will move to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, officials said. (Oakland Zoo)
A trio of mountain lion cubs have also licked their wounds from the devastating Zogg fire and are headed for a new home in Columbus, Ohio. Firefighters found “ Capt. Cal ” wandering alone a month and a half ago in Shasta County with singed whiskers and burned paws. He was brought to the Oakland Zoo, where he underwent surgery, hand-feeding and 47 days of round-the-clock care. Soon, twin female mountain lion cubs, estimated to be 5 weeks old when they lost their mother in the Zogg fire, joined him.
The three cubs will take their first flight with zoo officials to Indianapolis, then will travel to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Zoo officials in Ohio hope to eventually introduce the cubs to Jessie, a nearly 17-year-old blind mountain lion who lost her brother Billy earlier this year, according to an Oakland Zoo news release.
“Even with the cubs’ tragic beginning, their story is actually one of survival and hope,” said Tom Stalf, president and chief executive of Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, in a statement. “We remain committed to the cubs’ care, and we will continue to share their important story with others as we work together to protect the future of wildlife and wild places.”


latimes--2020-11-21--Coronavirus infection rate hits unprecedented levels in California and officials worry how bad it wi

Coronavirus infection rate hits unprecedented levels in California and officials worry how bad it will get

California capped a week of unprecedented coronavirus spread , with officials unsure how much worse it will get while placing hope that new restrictions could help slow infections as the holidays approach .
The staggering rise in cases caught many off guard , with long lines at some testing facilities and worries about whether Thanksgiving will cause even more people to be infected .
For the seven-day period that ended Friday , an average of 10,981 people in California were reported to be infected daily — a number that has more than doubled in just the last two weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the summer , which until now had been California ’ s worst spike of COVID-19 , according to a Times data analysis .
For the first time , California has recorded three days in the last week where more than 13,000 new infections a day have been recorded .
And hospitalizations are up 61 % statewide over just the last two weeks .
“ The data looks really bad right now , ” said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Friday .
“ There ’ s just a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest concern of public health officials now is whether people will heed the warnings and avoid large Thanksgiving gatherings .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to skip holiday travel this year , a recommendation echoed by local and state officials .
The country is now averaging more than 1,300 COVID-19 deaths per day over the past seven days — the highest level since the calamitous spring in and around New York City .
“ Plenty of people will congregate and nobody will get sick and they ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news , ’ ” said Dr. Mark Dworkin , an infectious disease specialist at the University of Illinois , Chicago .
“ But there will be other families that will be devastated and it will be very bad for them .
If you want to play Russian roulette with COVID , that ’ s your right , but I think it ’ s foolish.
” Conditions are worsening across the state .
San Francisco , which until recently was a COVID-19 success story , is expected to require more closures — such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early as next week as cases spike .
“ If our numbers continue to go up at this rate , we could conceivably have hundreds of people in the hospital by late December or early January according to our models , ” Dr. Grant Colfax , the San Francisco director of public health , said Friday .
But few places are facing a more critical crisis than Los Angeles County , home to more than 10 million people .
The county recorded the highest average daily number of cases so far in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people reporting new infections daily over the five-day period that ended Friday .
That number has nearly doubled in just two weeks — a sign of how the virus is spreading faster than ever before .
Los Angeles County recorded 4,158 cases Friday , according to an independent tally by The Times , a pace that places the region at risk of needing to order further restrictions on business operations .
On Thursday , L.A. County reported its largest number of cases in a single day in the history of the pandemic : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County , rising more than 75 % in the last month .
The coronavirus test positive rate has jumped considerably , from 3.9 % at the start of November to 7.1 % on Wednesday .
Daily COVID-19 deaths may also be starting to increase in L.A. County .
For the seven-day period that ended Friday , an average of 22 people died every day from COVID-19 , the worst such tally since Oct. 1 , and a 50 % increase from earlier in the week .
“ This is a serious concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ This level of acceleration threatens our healthcare system and that threatens care for every single person in this county — for people who have a heart attack , for people who need emergency surgery.
” The county said if case numbers worsen , it plans to limit restaurants to take out and delivery only and potentially impose a new stay-at-home order similar to the one issued in the spring , known as Safer at Home .
Officials expected to give three days ’ notice before a new health order goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we don ’ t have to go to ‘ Safer-at-Home , ’ and that we are able to in the next few days start turning this around , ” Ferrer said Friday .
“ If we can ’ t get this back under control , that is unfortunately where we ’ re headed : Trying to limit as much as possible interactions with people not in our households.
” The county is urging people to avoid holiday travel .
If people decide to travel anyway — such as college students returning home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferrer said they should quarantine themselves in a room alone for 14 days ; avoid sharing a bathroom or clean it every time if they do share one ; not eat with others in the household ; and have people in the home wear masks at all times indoors .
If the students haven ’ t been able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination , Ferrer suggested they not take part in Thanksgiving festivities to reduce the chance of infecting others .
“ We still urge college students to please not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ferrer said .
“ There may be some people that are returning and planning to stay here and they ’ re not going back to their schools — in which case they have plenty of time to do that 14-day self-quarantine.
” The quarantine is particularly important if people in the home are elderly or have underlying conditions that put them at risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19 , such as high blood pressure , diabetes , obesity , high cholesterol , or kidney and lung disease .
The infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among them are evidence that people are increasingly gathering and visiting other people ’ s homes while failing to wear masks , and more outbreaks at worksites .
Because there are now so many more contagious people — reflected in the rising test positivity rate , which has more than doubled in recent weeks — “ it ’ s a lot easier for people to infect other people , ” Ferrer said .
California is imposing a mandatory limited starting Saturday that will prohibit all gatherings with members of other households and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that are in the most restrictive category of the state ’ s reopening plan , .
Roughly 94 % of Californians , 37 million people , live in the 41 counties currently in that tier .
The limited stay-at-home order still permits people to leave their home in the late night hours as long as they don ’ t gather with people from another household .
Leaving home to go for a late night walk with members of your household , walk the dog , pick up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still permitted .
goes into effect Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21 , though it could be extended .
Officials stressed that the sacrifices made during the holidays could pay off later .
“ The best gift we can give this season is the gift of good health so we can all be here for the vaccine , ” San Francisco ’ s Colfax said .
Times staff writers Maura Dolan in San Francisco , Deborah Netburn and Iris Lee in Los Angeles , as well as the Associated Press , contributed @ @ @ @

Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Sean Greene

California capped a week of unprecedented coronavirus spread, with officials unsure how much worse it will get while placing hope that new restrictions could help slow infections as the holidays approach.
The staggering rise in cases caught many off guard, with long lines at some testing facilities and worries about whether Thanksgiving will cause even more people to be infected.
For the seven-day period that ended Friday, an average of 10,981 people in California were reported to be infected daily — a number that has more than doubled in just the last two weeks. That is even worse than the peak in the summer, which until now had been California’s worst spike of COVID-19, according to a Times data analysis.
For the first time, California has recorded three days in the last week where more than 13,000 new infections a day have been recorded.
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And hospitalizations are up 61% statewide over just the last two weeks.
“The data looks really bad right now,” said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Friday. “There’s just a lot more people that are infected.”
The biggest concern of public health officials now is whether people will heed the warnings and avoid large Thanksgiving gatherings. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to skip holiday travel this year, a recommendation echoed by local and state officials. The country is now averaging more than 1,300 COVID-19 deaths per day over the past seven days — the highest level since the calamitous spring in and around New York City.
“Plenty of people will congregate and nobody will get sick and they’ll go ‘nah, nah, fake news,’” said Dr. Mark Dworkin, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Illinois, Chicago. “But there will be other families that will be devastated and it will be very bad for them. If you want to play Russian roulette with COVID, that’s your right, but I think it’s foolish.”
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Conditions are worsening across the state. San Francisco, which until recently was a COVID-19 success story, is expected to require more closures — such as indoor restaurant dining and gyms — as early as next week as cases spike.
“If our numbers continue to go up at this rate, we could conceivably have hundreds of people in the hospital by late December or early January according to our models,” Dr. Grant Colfax, the San Francisco director of public health, said Friday.
But few places are facing a more critical crisis than Los Angeles County, home to more than 10 million people.
The county recorded the highest average daily number of cases so far in the pandemic, with an average of 3,613 people reporting new infections daily over the five-day period that ended Friday. That number has nearly doubled in just two weeks — a sign of how the virus is spreading faster than ever before.
Los Angeles County recorded 4,158 cases Friday, according to an independent tally by The Times, a pace that places the region at risk of needing to order further restrictions on business operations. On Thursday, L.A. County reported its largest number of cases in a single day in the history of the pandemic: 4,943.
Hospitalizations continue to climb in L.A. County, rising more than 75% in the last month. The coronavirus test positive rate has jumped considerably, from 3.9% at the start of November to 7.1% on Wednesday.
Daily COVID-19 deaths may also be starting to increase in L.A. County. For the seven-day period that ended Friday, an average of 22 people died every day from COVID-19, the worst such tally since Oct. 1, and a 50% increase from earlier in the week.
“This is a serious concern for all of us,” Ferrer said. “This level of acceleration threatens our healthcare system and that threatens care for every single person in this county — for people who have a heart attack, for people who need emergency surgery.”
The county said if case numbers worsen, it plans to limit restaurants to take out and delivery only and potentially impose a new stay-at-home order similar to the one issued in the spring, known as Safer at Home.
Officials expected to give three days’ notice before a new health order goes into effect.
“I still hope that we don’t have to go to ‘Safer-at-Home,’ and that we are able to in the next few days start turning this around,” Ferrer said Friday. “If we can’t get this back under control, that is unfortunately where we’re headed: Trying to limit as much as possible interactions with people not in our households.”
The county is urging people to avoid holiday travel. If people decide to travel anyway — such as college students returning home for the next month or two — Ferrer said they should quarantine themselves in a room alone for 14 days; avoid sharing a bathroom or clean it every time if they do share one; not eat with others in the household; and have people in the home wear masks at all times indoors.
If the students haven’t been able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination, Ferrer suggested they not take part in Thanksgiving festivities to reduce the chance of infecting others.
“We still urge college students to please not return just for the Thanksgiving holiday,” Ferrer said. “There may be some people that are returning and planning to stay here and they’re not going back to their schools — in which case they have plenty of time to do that 14-day self-quarantine.”
The quarantine is particularly important if people in the home are elderly or have underlying conditions that put them at risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, or kidney and lung disease.
The infection rate is rising for several reasons. Among them are evidence that people are increasingly gathering and visiting other people’s homes while failing to wear masks, and more outbreaks at worksites.
Because there are now so many more contagious people — reflected in the rising test positivity rate, which has more than doubled in recent weeks — “it’s a lot easier for people to infect other people,” Ferrer said.
California is imposing a mandatory limited overnight stay-at-home order starting Saturday that will prohibit all gatherings with members of other households and all nonessential activities outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that are in the most restrictive category of the state’s reopening plan, the purple tier . Roughly 94% of Californians, 37 million people, live in the 41 counties currently in that tier.
The limited stay-at-home order still permits people to leave their home in the late night hours as long as they don’t gather with people from another household. Leaving home to go for a late night walk with members of your household, walk the dog, pick up takeout food, or go grocery shopping is still permitted. The order goes into effect Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21, though it could be extended.
Officials stressed that the sacrifices made during the holidays could pay off later.
“The best gift we can give this season is the gift of good health so we can all be here for the vaccine,” San Francisco’s Colfax said.
Times staff writers Maura Dolan in San Francisco, Deborah Netburn and Iris Lee in Los Angeles, as well as the Associated Press, contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-21--Gov. Gavin Newsom's child is quarantining  after schoolmate's positive COVID-19 test

One of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s four children is quarantining at home after a Sacramento private school classmate tested positive for COVID-19 , the governor ’ s office said Friday .
No one in the Newsom family has tested positive for the coronavirus , said the governor ’ s communications director , Nathan Click .
All six family members , he said , are observing quarantine procedures and have been for several days .
“ The family has taken the potential exposure seriously and is following all state protocols , ” Click said in an emailed statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls and two boys , ranging in age from 4 to 11 years old .
The child who was potentially exposed to the virus was not identified for security reasons .
Newsom took a rapid COVID-19 test earlier this week that came back negative , Click said , though he did not specify what day .
The other five family members , including First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the four children , all received negative results after taking the nasal swab PCR test .
Click said the governor plans to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the virus , first reported Friday by Politico , comes after the first family ’ s Sacramento elementary school resumed in-person instruction earlier this month .
Three of the children are in elementary school , where full-day classes have been held this month Mondays through Thursdays with early dismissal on Fridays .
The youngest child is in pre-kindergarten .
Information published by the school states that all students and personnel are to wear masks and are subject to mandatory COVID-19 testing , along with other public health protocols while on campus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the classroom with the infected student has been tested twice , according to Newsom ’ s office , on the fifth and seventh day after the last contact with the classmate .
Newsom ’ s personal experiences with pandemic precautions have dominated the headlines this week , after he apologized for attending a longtime advisor ’ s birthday party at a Napa Valley restaurant earlier this month — one where members of as many as a half-dozen different households sat close to each other and did not follow the mask protocols the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sacramento County was listed as having evidence of “ substantial ” spread — the red tier in the state ’ s coronavirus reopening system — when the private school returned to a full-day schedule .
Newsom told a reporter last month that his kids were transitioning to a “ phased-in approach ” to in-person learning at the time .
But the region ’ s largest public schools did not open under those conditions , which were downgraded last week to the “ widespread ” purple tier of the state system .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools that opened before the status change are not required to return to full-time remote learning .
“ The governor has made the safety of students and staff a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic and has fought to ensure that every child — whether in a classroom or at home — is learning , ” Click said in the Friday night statement .

Gov. Gavin Newsom with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and three of their children celebrate his election in downtown Los Angeles in 2018.
One of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four children is quarantining at home after a Sacramento private school classmate tested positive for COVID-19, the governor’s office said Friday.
No one in the Newsom family has tested positive for the coronavirus, said the governor’s communications director, Nathan Click. All six family members, he said, are observing quarantine procedures and have been for several days.
“The family has taken the potential exposure seriously and is following all state protocols,” Click said in an emailed statement.
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The governor and his wife have two girls and two boys, ranging in age from 4 to 11 years old. The child who was potentially exposed to the virus was not identified for security reasons.
Newsom took a rapid COVID-19 test earlier this week that came back negative, Click said, though he did not specify what day. The other five family members, including First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the four children, all received negative results after taking the nasal swab PCR test.
Click said the governor plans to have a PCR test this weekend.
The brush with the virus, first reported Friday by Politico, comes after the first family’s Sacramento elementary school resumed in-person instruction earlier this month. Three of the children are in elementary school, where full-day classes have been held this month Mondays through Thursdays with early dismissal on Fridays. The youngest child is in pre-kindergarten.
Information published by the school states that all students and personnel are to wear masks and are subject to mandatory COVID-19 testing, along with other public health protocols while on campus.
The governor’s child who shared the classroom with the infected student has been tested twice, according to Newsom’s office, on the fifth and seventh day after the last contact with the classmate.
Newsom’s personal experiences with pandemic precautions have dominated the headlines this week, after he apologized for attending a longtime advisor’s birthday party at a Napa Valley restaurant earlier this month — one where members of as many as a half-dozen different households sat close to each other and did not follow the mask protocols the governor’s administration has recommended to Californians.
Sacramento County was listed as having evidence of “substantial” spread — the red tier in the state’s coronavirus reopening system — when the private school returned to a full-day schedule. Newsom told a reporter last month that his kids were transitioning to a “phased-in approach” to in-person learning at the time.
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But the region’s largest public schools did not open under those conditions, which were downgraded last week to the “widespread” purple tier of the state system. Those schools now cannot open, although schools that opened before the status change are not required to return to full-time remote learning.
“The governor has made the safety of students and staff a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic and has fought to ensure that every child — whether in a classroom or at home — is learning,” Click said in the Friday night statement.


latimes--2020-11-20--Garcetti advisor made sexually provocative gesture in photo with mayor

A photograph showing one of Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s closest advisors making a sexually provocative gesture , while the mayor stands nearby , raises new questions about Garcetti ’ s contention that he had no knowledge of inappropriate behavior by former Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Jacobs .
The picture , obtained this week by The Times , shows Jacobs placing his hand near the crotch of a civic activist as the two posed for a group photo at the U.S. Conference of Mayors convention in June 2017 .
Garcetti stands next to the two men , smiling and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview Friday , the man said Jacobs did not touch him .
He said that when he was shown the photo later that evening he found it offensive and felt Jacobs should be ashamed of his behavior .
The Times is not releasing his name and has blurred his face in the photograph because the newspaper generally does not identify those who may have been the victims of sexual misconduct .
Jacobs has been under scrutiny since July , when one of Garcetti ’ s bodyguards accused the key mayoral ally of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of several years .
LAPD Officer Matthew Garza said the mayor witnessed the inappropriate behavior — which included unwanted touching and crude comments — but did not stop it .
In October , three other men came forward with accusations that they had been targeted by Jacobs ’ unwelcome touching or harassment .
One of the alleged victims was Yashar Ali , a journalist who wrote about the mayoral advisor ’ s aggressive behavior .
A lawyer for three former city employees provided the photo to The Times this week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they believe the picture illustrates “ years of grotesquely inappropriate predatory behavior that Mayor Garcetti tolerated and enabled , to the detriment of his staff and colleagues.
” All three of the former employees declined to be named , saying they believed that they could suffer retaliation by Jacobs or others who remain loyal to the mayor .
The photo was taken by another individual in the mayor ’ s orbit and had been shared by at least a dozen people close to Garcetti over the last three years , the sources said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times that he had not known about the 2017 incident captured in the photo .
“ Mr .
Jacobs ’ behavior in this photo is totally inappropriate , ” Garcetti said .
“ I did not see him do this and I had never seen this photo before the L.A. Times sent it to our office yesterday .
Jacobs no longer represents me in any capacity and has not worked in the Mayor ’ s Office since 2016 .
We have now sent this photo to the independent law firm hired by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took a leave last month from his volunteer political work for Garcetti , said Thursday in an email that he could not “ recall the circumstances of this photo.
” “ What I do know is that I would never intentionally ‘ harass ’ someone .
If I have hurt anyone , I sincerely apologize to them , ” Jacobs added .
The latest revelation about Jacobs comes at a delicate moment for Garcetti , who is reportedly a leading candidate to become U.S. secretary of Transportation under President-elect Joe Biden .
Jacobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 2013 mayoral campaign and was a top City Hall deputy before stepping down in 2016 .
At that time , the mayor called Jacobs “ a longtime trusted friend and advisor ” and “ an extraordinary asset to my administration during my first term as mayor.
” Jacobs remained loyal to Garcetti after leaving City Hall , in part because of his work supporting the mayor ’ s two nonprofit ventures , the Mayor ’ s Fund for Los Angeles and the Accelerator for America .
The fund supports mayoral initiatives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , while Accelerator for America promotes economic development across the U.S .
Since the allegations against Jacobs first arose during the summer , Garcetti has said he never witnessed the sexual harassment described by the LAPD officer and others .
The mayor in July called Jacobs “ a committed public servant ” and said he should be able to continue working for the nonprofit Mayor ’ s Fund while the sexual harassment allegations were investigated .
This week ’ s statement made clear that Garcetti is now intent on putting more distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The allegations against the top advisor have been awkward for Garcetti , because he has positioned himself as a leading defender of the victims of sexual abuse and harassment .
In the midst of the national # MeToo movement in 2017 , he ordered new reporting protocols , unveiled a website for city employees to lodge allegations and hosted a panel on sexual harassment and assault .
The individuals who sent the Jacobs photograph to The Times said it had been circulated among at least a dozen friends and allies of the mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the photo public because they believe the mayor ’ s private actions have not lived up to his public pronouncements .
“ Many of us who worked for the mayor witnessed it and were subjected to it over and over again , ” the statement by the onetime employees said , referring to Jacobs ’ alleged bullying and aggressive behavior .
“ Not only did the mayor take no action to stop it , he refused to acknowledge it.
” The statement went on to say that Garcetti “ expressed no concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacobs ’ alleged abuse affected the employees ’ workplace interactions and “ damaged our emotional well-being.
” All three of the former employees acknowledged that they never brought their concerns about the alleged sexual misconduct directly to Garcetti .
But they claim Jacobs ’ bullying and sexually aggressive actions were widely known inside the mayor ’ s office , and that discussions about the advisor ’ s misbehavior were common in the office ’ s top echelons .
Two of the sources said they made clear to the mayor ’ s chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major reason behind their departure from Garcetti ’ s office was that Jacobs had made working there unbearable .
Guerrero declined to comment , with a mayoral spokesman citing the ongoing investigation into the complaints .
Writing more generally about their concerns , the former employees added : “ The ethical standards that Mayor Garcetti had set for his administration along with his strong # MeToo rhetoric made it crystal clear that he needed to intervene but he failed to do so .
He ’ s acting now only because his political future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests of his staff and his own values should have been paramount long before .
“ Not only did the mayor take no action to stop it , he refused to acknowledge it , ” the statement continued .
“ He expressed no concern for the many ways in which Jacobs ’ abuse affected our workplace interactions and damaged our emotional well-being.
” Confronted with claims about Garcetti ’ s inaction , the mayor ’ s office emailed an additional response .
“ I have never witnessed any sexual harassment by Rick Jacobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation until the Garza lawsuit , ” Garcetti ’ s statement said .
“ Neither my office nor the Personnel Department has ever received a sexual harassment complaint involving Mr. Jacobs .
Had I been aware of any allegation , I would have taken action to address it .
In my life , I have taken and always will take all forms of harassment extremely seriously.
” The statement added that Garcetti ’ s “ heart goes out to , and I deeply care about , people who are victims of harassment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual harassment feels empowered to come forward and seek justice.
” He urged anyone subjected to misconduct to report it to the city Personnel Department or via myvoicela.org .
The provocative photograph of Jacobs was taken during Garcetti ’ s June 2017 , trip to Miami Beach for the mayors ’ conclave .
It was a time of triumph and high spirits in the mayor ’ s orbit .
Three months earlier , Garcetti had won a landslide victory to earn a second term .
He beat out more than 150 other members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home the “ City Livability Award ” for Los Angeles .
Media accounts described him as the leader of the Climate Mayors , a group that pledged to reduce greenhouse gases , as President Trump veered away from responsibility for climate change .
In the photo , taken on a balcony , Garcetti poses with five other conference attendees well known around Los Angeles city political circles .
At one end of the group is Heather Repenning , a former Garcetti aide , then a vice president on the Board of Public Works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Los Angeles Unified School District .
Beside her is Gerard Orozco , a one-time City Council aide and vice president at a major engineering firm .
Next is Josh Perttula , the founder of a prominent public affairs firm in Los Angeles .
The former city workers making the picture public said they believe it is significant that Jacobs would make his inappropriate gesture in a public setting and in the company of such prominent individuals .
It shows how routine this kind of behavior had become , the critics agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he did not know about Jacobs ’ action at the time the picture was taken .
He called his behavior “ unacceptable and inappropriate.
” Repenning did not respond to a request for comment .
Orozco could not be reached .
In his email to The Times , Jacobs said : “ What I can say is that I have never intentionally hurt anyone .
That ’ s not who I am.
” Asked if such behavior should disqualify him for working for the mayor or elsewhere in city government , Jacobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his work had always been intended to help others .
“ I may choose not to work in politics and government ever again because of how toxic the environment has become , ” Jacobs added .
“ At the end of the day , the attacks against me aren ’ t really about me .
It ’ s politics of the worst kind .
”

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, third from left, at the 2017 U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami Beach. His advisor Rick Jacobs, left, holds his hand in front of the crotch of an L.A. civic activist who also attended the conference. The man said Jacobs did not touch him. His identity is being withheld, and his image obscured, because The Times generally does not identify people who may have been victims of sexual misconduct.
A photograph showing one of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s closest advisors making a sexually provocative gesture, while the mayor stands nearby, raises new questions about Garcetti’s contention that he had no knowledge of inappropriate behavior by former Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Jacobs.
The picture, obtained this week by The Times, shows Jacobs placing his hand near the crotch of a civic activist as the two posed for a group photo at the U.S. Conference of Mayors convention in June 2017. Garcetti stands next to the two men, smiling and giving a double thumbs-up gesture.
In an interview Friday, the man said Jacobs did not touch him. He said that when he was shown the photo later that evening he found it offensive and felt Jacobs should be ashamed of his behavior.
The Times is not releasing his name and has blurred his face in the photograph because the newspaper generally does not identify those who may have been the victims of sexual misconduct.
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Jacobs has been under scrutiny since July, when one of Garcetti’s bodyguards accused the key mayoral ally of sexually harassing him many times over the course of several years. LAPD Officer Matthew Garza said the mayor witnessed the inappropriate behavior — which included unwanted touching and crude comments — but did not stop it.
In October, three other men came forward with accusations that they had been targeted by Jacobs’ unwelcome touching or harassment. One of the alleged victims was Yashar Ali, a journalist who wrote about the mayoral advisor’s aggressive behavior.
California Journalist Yashar Ali accuses Garcetti advisor Rick Jacobs of sexual misconduct Journalist Yashar Ali says Garcetti advisor and former L.A. Deputy Mayor Rick Jacobs forcibly kissed Ali on the lips multiple times between 2005 and 2015.
A lawyer for three former city employees provided the photo to The Times this week. The workers said in a joint statement that they believe the picture illustrates “years of grotesquely inappropriate predatory behavior that Mayor Garcetti tolerated and enabled, to the detriment of his staff and colleagues.”
All three of the former employees declined to be named, saying they believed that they could suffer retaliation by Jacobs or others who remain loyal to the mayor. The photo was taken by another individual in the mayor’s orbit and had been shared by at least a dozen people close to Garcetti over the last three years, the sources said.
Garcetti said in statement emailed to The Times that he had not known about the 2017 incident captured in the photo.
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“Mr. Jacobs’ behavior in this photo is totally inappropriate,” Garcetti said. “I did not see him do this and I had never seen this photo before the L.A. Times sent it to our office yesterday. Jacobs no longer represents me in any capacity and has not worked in the Mayor’s Office since 2016. We have now sent this photo to the independent law firm hired by the city attorney.”
Jacobs, who took a leave last month from his volunteer political work for Garcetti, said Thursday in an email that he could not “recall the circumstances of this photo.”
“What I do know is that I would never intentionally ‘harass’ someone. If I have hurt anyone, I sincerely apologize to them,” Jacobs added.
The latest revelation about Jacobs comes at a delicate moment for Garcetti, who is reportedly a leading candidate to become U.S. secretary of Transportation under President-elect Joe Biden.
Jacobs raised millions of dollars for Garcetti’s 2013 mayoral campaign and was a top City Hall deputy before stepping down in 2016. At that time, the mayor called Jacobs “a longtime trusted friend and advisor” and “an extraordinary asset to my administration during my first term as mayor.”
Jacobs remained loyal to Garcetti after leaving City Hall, in part because of his work supporting the mayor’s two nonprofit ventures, the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles and the Accelerator for America. The fund supports mayoral initiatives, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Accelerator for America promotes economic development across the U.S.
Since the allegations against Jacobs first arose during the summer, Garcetti has said he never witnessed the sexual harassment described by the LAPD officer and others. The mayor in July called Jacobs “a committed public servant” and said he should be able to continue working for the nonprofit Mayor’s Fund while the sexual harassment allegations were investigated.
This week’s statement made clear that Garcetti is now intent on putting more distance between himself and his longtime confidant.
California LAPD officer accuses top Garcetti advisor of sexual harassment An LAPD officer who worked on Mayor Eric Garcetti’s security detail is suing the city, alleging he was sexually harassed by Rick Jacobs, a Garcetti advisor.
The allegations against the top advisor have been awkward for Garcetti, because he has positioned himself as a leading defender of the victims of sexual abuse and harassment. In the midst of the national #MeToo movement in 2017, he ordered new reporting protocols, unveiled a website for city employees to lodge allegations and hosted a panel on sexual harassment and assault.
The individuals who sent the Jacobs photograph to The Times said it had been circulated among at least a dozen friends and allies of the mayor. They said they joined together to make the photo public because they believe the mayor’s private actions have not lived up to his public pronouncements.
“Many of us who worked for the mayor witnessed it and were subjected to it over and over again,” the statement by the onetime employees said, referring to Jacobs’ alleged bullying and aggressive behavior. “Not only did the mayor take no action to stop it, he refused to acknowledge it.”
The statement went on to say that Garcetti “expressed no concern for the many ways” in which Jacobs’ alleged abuse affected the employees’ workplace interactions and “damaged our emotional well-being.”
All three of the former employees acknowledged that they never brought their concerns about the alleged sexual misconduct directly to Garcetti. But they claim Jacobs’ bullying and sexually aggressive actions were widely known inside the mayor’s office, and that discussions about the advisor’s misbehavior were common in the office’s top echelons.
Two of the sources said they made clear to the mayor’s chief of staff, Ana Guerrero, that a major reason behind their departure from Garcetti’s office was that Jacobs had made working there unbearable. Guerrero declined to comment, with a mayoral spokesman citing the ongoing investigation into the complaints.
Writing more generally about their concerns, the former employees added: “The ethical standards that Mayor Garcetti had set for his administration along with his strong #MeToo rhetoric made it crystal clear that he needed to intervene but he failed to do so. He’s acting now only because his political future is on the line, when the interests of his staff and his own values should have been paramount long before.
“Not only did the mayor take no action to stop it, he refused to acknowledge it,” the statement continued. “He expressed no concern for the many ways in which Jacobs’ abuse affected our workplace interactions and damaged our emotional well-being.”
Confronted with claims about Garcetti’s inaction, the mayor’s office emailed an additional response.
“I have never witnessed any sexual harassment by Rick Jacobs and I was not told about any allegation until the Garza lawsuit,” Garcetti’s statement said. “Neither my office nor the Personnel Department has ever received a sexual harassment complaint involving Mr. Jacobs. Had I been aware of any allegation, I would have taken action to address it. In my life, I have taken and always will take all forms of harassment extremely seriously.”
The statement added that Garcetti’s “heart goes out to, and I deeply care about, people who are victims of harassment, and I hope that anyone who experiences sexual harassment feels empowered to come forward and seek justice.” He urged anyone subjected to misconduct to report it to the city Personnel Department or via myvoicela.org.
The provocative photograph of Jacobs was taken during Garcetti’s June 2017, trip to Miami Beach for the mayors’ conclave. It was a time of triumph and high spirits in the mayor’s orbit.
Three months earlier, Garcetti had won a landslide victory to earn a second term. He beat out more than 150 other members of the mayors’ organization to take home the “City Livability Award” for Los Angeles. Media accounts described him as the leader of the Climate Mayors, a group that pledged to reduce greenhouse gases, as President Trump veered away from responsibility for climate change.
In the photo, taken on a balcony, Garcetti poses with five other conference attendees well known around Los Angeles city political circles.
At one end of the group is Heather Repenning, a former Garcetti aide, then a vice president on the Board of Public Works and recently a candidate for the board of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Beside her is Gerard Orozco, a one-time City Council aide and vice president at a major engineering firm. Next is Josh Perttula, the founder of a prominent public affairs firm in Los Angeles.
The former city workers making the picture public said they believe it is significant that Jacobs would make his inappropriate gesture in a public setting and in the company of such prominent individuals. It shows how routine this kind of behavior had become, the critics agreed.
Perttula said in an emailed statement that he did not know about Jacobs’ action at the time the picture was taken. He called his behavior “unacceptable and inappropriate.” Repenning did not respond to a request for comment. Orozco could not be reached.
In his email to The Times, Jacobs said: “What I can say is that I have never intentionally hurt anyone. That’s not who I am.”
Asked if such behavior should disqualify him for working for the mayor or elsewhere in city government, Jacobs said it should not. He said his work had always been intended to help others.
“I may choose not to work in politics and government ever again because of how toxic the environment has become,” Jacobs added. “At the end of the day, the attacks against me aren’t really about me. It’s politics of the worst kind.”


latimes--2020-11-20--How are you celebrating Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Just like the rest of 2020 , Thanksgiving this year will be one for the record books .
Due to @ @ @ @ @ with large groups , traveling out of state and even dining out are discouraged .
@ @ @ @ @ to get creative with your celebration .
If you ’ re planning to enjoy Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ or unusual way , we want to hear about it .
Tell us what you @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re Zooming with and what new traditions you ’ re starting .
We @ @ @ @ @ our Thanksgiving coverage .
Our photo team is also looking for families that want to @ @ @ @ @ historic day .
If you are interested in having a Times photographer document your day @ @ @ @ @ and include contact information so we can get in touch .

Just like the rest of 2020, Thanksgiving this year will be one for the record books.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting with large groups, traveling out of state and even dining out are discouraged. That means you might have to get creative with your celebration.
If you’re planning to enjoy Thanksgiving in a fun, new or unusual way, we want to hear about it.
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Tell us what you’re eating, who you’re Zooming with and what new traditions you’re starting. We may use your story in our Thanksgiving coverage.
Our photo team is also looking for families that want to take part in documenting this historic day. If you are interested in having a Times photographer document your day, fill out our survey and include contact information so we can get in touch.


latimes--2020-11-20--Daily California coronavirus cases surpass 13,000 three times this week, a record

The coronavirus continues to spread through California at a record rate , prompting the state to reimpose restrictions not seen since the early days of the pandemic in a bid to beat back the accelerating surge .
The virus is spreading faster than ever in California , and officials are already warning about the risk of running out of hospital beds in a matter of weeks .
There are now so many people infected with the coronavirus that , in a number of ways , the past week has been the worst of any during the pandemic .
It potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaches , with a certain percentage of people infected today dying about a month later .
Statewide , for the first time , California has reported more than 13,000 cases a day three times this week — on Monday , Thursday and Friday , according to The Times ’ independent tally .
California broke its latest single-day record on Monday , when 13,412 cases were reported ; on Thursday , 13,377 cases were tallied , and 13,113 on Friday .
( An earlier version of this story reported a higher tally on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) California is now recording its worst numbers of daily coronavirus infections .
For the seven-day period that ended Friday , an average of 10,981 people were reported to become infected daily — a number that has more than doubled in just the last two weeks and is even worse than the peak in the summer , which had been California ’ s deadliest COVID-19 season .
COVID-19 hospitalizations are up more than 60 % statewide over the last two weeks .
Los Angeles County has also recorded the highest average daily number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with an average of 3,613 people reporting new infections daily over the five-day period that ended Friday .
That number has nearly doubled in just two weeks — a sign of how the virus is spreading faster than ever before .
The county recorded 4,158 cases Friday , according to an independent tally by The Times , a pace that places the region of risk at needing to order further restrictions on business operations .
On Thursday , the county reported its largest number of cases in a single day in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospitalizations continue to climb in the county , rising 65 % in the last two weeks .
The coronavirus test positivity rate has jumped considerably , from 3.9 % at the start of November to 7.1 % on Wednesday .
“ There ’ s just a lot more people that are infected , ” said Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County director of public health .
“ The data looks really bad right now .
We ’ ve had three terrible days in terms of case rates and increases in hospitalizations .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact be ” potentially approaching a point where either outdoor restaurant dining areas are ordered shut or a new stay-at-home order is issued .
Ferrer said she expected to give three days ’ notice before a new health order would go into effect .
Daily COVID-19 deaths have also increased in the county .
For the seven-day period ended Thursday , an average of 21 people died every day from COVID-19 , the worst such tally since Oct. 1 , and a 50 % increase compared with the number earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern for all of us , ” Ferrer said .
“ This level of acceleration threatens our healthcare system [ and ] that threatens care for every single person in this county — for people who have a heart attack , for people who need emergency surgery.
” It ’ s hard to know whether the county has seen a peak in terms of daily cases or is still on its way to even higher numbers .
But should daily coronavirus case rates worsen and pass a red line established by the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order that would generally require people to stay at home as much as possible .
“ If we can ’ t get this back under control , that is , unfortunately , where we ’ re headed : Trying to limit as much as possible interactions with people not in our households , ” Ferrer said .
“ I still hope that we don ’ t have to go to ‘ Safer-at-Home ’ and that we are able to in the next few days start turning this around , ” Ferrer said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ because once coronavirus case rates go up , “ it can kind of feed upon itself , ” Ferrer said .
“ Once there are more people that are infected in your community , if everyone doesn ’ t buckle down and take extra precautions , you now have more people that are capable of spreading [ the virus ] .
” Ferrer again urged the public not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday , echoing recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Thursday — whether it be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other side of town .
If people decide to travel anyway — such as college students returning home for the next month or two — Ferrer said they should quarantine in a room alone for 14 days ; as much as possible not share a bathroom , or clean it every time if they do share one ; and have people in the home wear masks at all times when indoors .
If students aren ’ t able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination , Ferrer suggested they not take part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chance of infecting the rest of the household .
“ We still urge college students to please not return just for the Thanksgiving holiday , ” Ferrer said .
“ There may be some people that are returning and planning to stay here — they ’ re not going back to their schools — in which case they have plenty of time to do that 14-day self-quarantine.
” The quarantine is particularly important if people in the home are elderly or have underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as high blood pressure , diabetes , obesity , and kidney or lung disease .
A combination of factors are believed to be fueling the rise in disease , including that people are increasingly gathering , and visiting other people ’ s homes , while failing to wear face masks and that there has been a greater number of outbreaks at worksites in the last couple of weeks .
Because there are now so many more people contagious with the virus in the community — reflected in the rising test positivity rate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to infect other people , ” Ferrer said .
“ Given how high our case rate is ... you have a much greater chance of running into a person who ’ s infected.
” San Francisco is poised to enter the most restrictive , purple , tier on Sunday , forcing indoor restaurant dining rooms and gyms to close , as is already the case in 93 % of California .
California has now recorded five consecutive days with at least 10,000 newly confirmed coronavirus cases a day , a stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those skyrocketing case counts aren ’ t mere numbers on a spreadsheet .
Authorities anticipate that roughly 12 % of those who test positive will end up in hospitals two to three weeks later .
COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen by 63.6 % over the last 14 days , hitting 4,523 , according to Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s health and human services secretary .
The number of patients in intensive care — 1,155 — is 40.5 % higher than two weeks ago .
Given the current number of daily cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a half weeks , 1,200 individuals could be hospitalized with COVID , ” Ghaly said during a briefing Thursday , and “ you can see how that number adds up.
” “ It could mean a serious challenge [ for ] our entire healthcare delivery system , and not just the beds and the buildings , but the staff , ” he said .
As cases and hospitalizations rise , officials have said they expect the number of fatalities to climb also .
California reported 108 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — the first triple-digit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , and an additional 90 on Friday , according to data compiled by The Times .
California has averaged 62 daily deaths over the last week , pushing the state ’ s overall toll above 18,600 .
With the virus becoming more widespread statewide , “ activities that you normally do are higher-risk today than they were a month ago , ” Ghaly said .
“ We ’ ve seen reports of people saying , ‘ Well , I haven ’ t changed my behavior .
I was doing the same thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Well , today , because [ of ] the background transmission rate , the level of COVID in our communities is higher [ and ] even our everyday activities become higher-risk .
And we must be resolved to put up our protective guards even more than we usually do.
” In the face of mushrooming case counts and steadily swelling hospitalizations , officials and experts emphasize that residents should double down on measures that can protect them from infection — including wearing masks in public , practicing good hand hygiene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical distance from , as well as avoiding gatherings with , those they don ’ t live with .
Though officials have repeatedly preached that personal responsibility is vital in the battle against COVID-19 , the state this week also unveiled a host of new restrictions aimed at turning back the tide of new infections .
California announced Thursday it would impose a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order that will prohibit all gatherings with members of other households and all nonessential activities conducted outside of the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ category of the state ’ s reopening plan .
The limited stay-at-home order still permits people to leave home in the late-night hours to go for a walk with members of their own household , walk the dog , pick up takeout food , or go grocery shopping .
“ Oftentimes when people are gathering outside after 10 o ’ clock , it ’ s because they ’ re in a situation where they ’ re socializing with others , probably not with people in their household , ” Ferrer said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce right now is the socializing and the gathering with people not in your household.
” The order goes into effect Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21 , though it could be extended .
“ We hope today ’ s actions , our collective coming together , our resolve to keep our protective behaviors up , will help us stem the tide and bring these surging numbers down very , very soon , ” Ghaly said .
Though the hope is to avoid even more dramatic action in the future , Ghaly acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table.
” “ COVID can go from 0 to 60 very quickly , ” he said .
“ And it has.
” Ahead of the state ’ s move , officials in Los Angeles County announced additional local efforts aimed at curbing the coronavirus .
On Friday , the county began ordering restaurants and nonessential stores to close to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. — though they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours — and capped the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households .
The number of patrons at outdoor restaurants , breweries and wineries is capped at 50 % of maximum outdoor capacity .
“ At this point , no one should still be underestimating the spread of this virus , nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy , ” the county health officer , Dr. Muntu Davis , said during a briefing .
Davis said the coronavirus conditions should be a clarion call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevention efforts .
“ If people were really all following the things that needed to be done , we ... probably wouldn ’ t be in this place where we have this number of cases or have to take these actions , ” he said Thursday .
“ So , really , everybody has to do their part and forget the idea that this is a hoax .
It ’ s not.
” Warning bells are also going off in Santa Clara County , where officials said they are on pace to potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials there urged residents not to view testing as a means to gather with those outside their household or engage in other unsafe activities .
“ A negative result does not mean someone has a pass to put themselves and others at risk , ” Dr. Marty Fenstersheib , the county ’ s COVID-19 testing officer , said in a statement .
“ People who test negative can still be carriers of the virus but be in an early stage of infection .
It ’ s critically important that you not travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Times staff writers Phil Willon and Taryn Luna contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene

The coronavirus continues to spread through California at a record rate, prompting the state to reimpose restrictions not seen since the early days of the pandemic in a bid to beat back the accelerating surge.
The virus is spreading faster than ever in California, and officials are already warning about the risk of running out of hospital beds in a matter of weeks.
There are now so many people infected with the coronavirus that, in a number of ways, the past week has been the worst of any during the pandemic. It potentially foreshadows a heartbreaking death toll as Christmas approaches, with a certain percentage of people infected today dying about a month later.
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Statewide, for the first time, California has reported more than 13,000 cases a day three times this week — on Monday, Thursday and Friday, according to The Times’ independent tally.
California broke its latest single-day record on Monday, when 13,412 cases were reported; on Thursday, 13,377 cases were tallied, and 13,113 on Friday. (An earlier version of this story reported a higher tally on Thursday, which was since adjusted downward.)
California is now recording its worst numbers of daily coronavirus infections. For the seven-day period that ended Friday, an average of 10,981 people were reported to become infected daily — a number that has more than doubled in just the last two weeks and is even worse than the peak in the summer, which had been California’s deadliest COVID-19 season. COVID-19 hospitalizations are up more than 60% statewide over the last two weeks.
Los Angeles County has also recorded the highest average daily number of cases so far in the pandemic, with an average of 3,613 people reporting new infections daily over the five-day period that ended Friday. That number has nearly doubled in just two weeks — a sign of how the virus is spreading faster than ever before.
The county recorded 4,158 cases Friday, according to an independent tally by The Times, a pace that places the region of risk at needing to order further restrictions on business operations.
On Thursday, the county reported its largest number of cases in a single day in the history of the pandemic: 4,943.
Hospitalizations continue to climb in the county, rising 65% in the last two weeks. The coronavirus test positivity rate has jumped considerably, from 3.9% at the start of November to 7.1% on Wednesday.
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“There’s just a lot more people that are infected,” said Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County director of public health. “The data looks really bad right now. We’ve had three terrible days in terms of case rates and increases in hospitalizations. And if this does continue, we will in fact be” potentially approaching a point where either outdoor restaurant dining areas are ordered shut or a new stay-at-home order is issued.
Ferrer said she expected to give three days’ notice before a new health order would go into effect.
Daily COVID-19 deaths have also increased in the county. For the seven-day period ended Thursday, an average of 21 people died every day from COVID-19, the worst such tally since Oct. 1, and a 50% increase compared with the number earlier in the week.
“This is a serious concern for all of us,” Ferrer said. “This level of acceleration threatens our healthcare system [and] that threatens care for every single person in this county — for people who have a heart attack, for people who need emergency surgery.”
It’s hard to know whether the county has seen a peak in terms of daily cases or is still on its way to even higher numbers.
But should daily coronavirus case rates worsen and pass a red line established by the county, officials could implement a new stay-at-home order that would generally require people to stay at home as much as possible.
“If we can’t get this back under control, that is, unfortunately, where we’re headed: Trying to limit as much as possible interactions with people not in our households,” Ferrer said.
“I still hope that we don’t have to go to ‘Safer-at-Home’ and that we are able to in the next few days start turning this around,” Ferrer said.
The pandemic conditions are especially worrying now because once coronavirus case rates go up, “it can kind of feed upon itself,” Ferrer said. “Once there are more people that are infected in your community, if everyone doesn’t buckle down and take extra precautions, you now have more people that are capable of spreading [the virus].”
Ferrer again urged the public not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, echoing recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Thursday — whether it be a cross-country flight or a drive to the other side of town.
If people decide to travel anyway — such as college students returning home for the next month or two — Ferrer said they should quarantine in a room alone for 14 days; as much as possible not share a bathroom, or clean it every time if they do share one; and have people in the home wear masks at all times when indoors.
If students aren’t able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination, Ferrer suggested they not take part in the Thanksgiving festivities, to reduce the chance of infecting the rest of the household.
“We still urge college students to please not return just for the Thanksgiving holiday,” Ferrer said. “There may be some people that are returning and planning to stay here — they’re not going back to their schools — in which case they have plenty of time to do that 14-day self-quarantine.”
The quarantine is particularly important if people in the home are elderly or have underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and kidney or lung disease.
A combination of factors are believed to be fueling the rise in disease, including that people are increasingly gathering, and visiting other people’s homes, while failing to wear face masks and that there has been a greater number of outbreaks at worksites in the last couple of weeks.
Because there are now so many more people contagious with the virus in the community — reflected in the rising test positivity rate, “it’s a lot easier for people to infect other people,” Ferrer said. “Given how high our case rate is ... you have a much greater chance of running into a person who’s infected.”
San Francisco is poised to enter the most restrictive, purple, tier on Sunday, forcing indoor restaurant dining rooms and gyms to close, as is already the case in 93% of California.
California has now recorded five consecutive days with at least 10,000 newly confirmed coronavirus cases a day, a stretch unlike any in the pandemic.
And those skyrocketing case counts aren’t mere numbers on a spreadsheet. Authorities anticipate that roughly 12% of those who test positive will end up in hospitals two to three weeks later. COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen by 63.6% over the last 14 days, hitting 4,523, according to Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary. The number of patients in intensive care — 1,155 — is 40.5% higher than two weeks ago.
Given the current number of daily cases, “that means in two and a half weeks, 1,200 individuals could be hospitalized with COVID,” Ghaly said during a briefing Thursday, and “you can see how that number adds up.”
“It could mean a serious challenge [for] our entire healthcare delivery system, and not just the beds and the buildings, but the staff,” he said.
As cases and hospitalizations rise, officials have said they expect the number of fatalities to climb also. California reported 108 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — the first triple-digit figure since Oct. 21 — 93 on Thursday, and an additional 90 on Friday, according to data compiled by The Times.
California has averaged 62 daily deaths over the last week, pushing the state’s overall toll above 18,600.
With the virus becoming more widespread statewide, “activities that you normally do are higher-risk today than they were a month ago,” Ghaly said.
“We’ve seen reports of people saying, ‘Well, I haven’t changed my behavior. I was doing the same thing a month ago,’” he said. “Well, today, because [of] the background transmission rate, the level of COVID in our communities is higher [and] even our everyday activities become higher-risk. And we must be resolved to put up our protective guards even more than we usually do.”
In the face of mushrooming case counts and steadily swelling hospitalizations, officials and experts emphasize that residents should double down on measures that can protect them from infection — including wearing masks in public, practicing good hand hygiene, staying home when sick and keeping physical distance from, as well as avoiding gatherings with, those they don’t live with.
Though officials have repeatedly preached that personal responsibility is vital in the battle against COVID-19, the state this week also unveiled a host of new restrictions aimed at turning back the tide of new infections.
California announced Thursday it would impose a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order that will prohibit all gatherings with members of other households and all nonessential activities conducted outside of the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that are in the most restrictive category of the state’s reopening plan.
The limited stay-at-home order still permits people to leave home in the late-night hours to go for a walk with members of their own household, walk the dog, pick up takeout food, or go grocery shopping.
“Oftentimes when people are gathering outside after 10 o’clock, it’s because they’re in a situation where they’re socializing with others, probably not with people in their household,” Ferrer said. “What we’re trying to really reduce right now is the socializing and the gathering with people not in your household.”
The order goes into effect Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21, though it could be extended.
“We hope today’s actions, our collective coming together, our resolve to keep our protective behaviors up, will help us stem the tide and bring these surging numbers down very, very soon,” Ghaly said.
Though the hope is to avoid even more dramatic action in the future, Ghaly acknowledged that “all tools are on the table.”
“COVID can go from 0 to 60 very quickly,” he said. “And it has.”
Ahead of the state’s move, officials in Los Angeles County announced additional local efforts aimed at curbing the coronavirus.
On Friday, the county began ordering restaurants and nonessential stores to close to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. — though they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours — and capped the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings at 15, from no more than three households.
The number of patrons at outdoor restaurants, breweries and wineries is capped at 50% of maximum outdoor capacity.
“At this point, no one should still be underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy,” the county health officer, Dr. Muntu Davis, said during a briefing.
Davis said the coronavirus conditions should be a clarion call for residents and businesses to redouble their infection prevention efforts.
“If people were really all following the things that needed to be done, we ... probably wouldn’t be in this place where we have this number of cases or have to take these actions,” he said Thursday. “So, really, everybody has to do their part and forget the idea that this is a hoax. It’s not.”
Warning bells are also going off in Santa Clara County, where officials said they are on pace to potentially exceed their hospital capacity in three weeks.
Officials there urged residents not to view testing as a means to gather with those outside their household or engage in other unsafe activities.
“A negative result does not mean someone has a pass to put themselves and others at risk,” Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, the county’s COVID-19 testing officer, said in a statement. “People who test negative can still be carriers of the virus but be in an early stage of infection. It’s critically important that you not travel during this time of heightened COVID-19 risk.”
Times staff writers Phil Willon and Taryn Luna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-20--New COVID-19 restrictions hit L.A. County: What you need to know

Los Angeles County on Friday ordered restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. and place a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households .
It ’ s part of an attempt to slow the dangerous spread of COVID-19 .
Here are the details : • For nonessential businesses permitted to operate indoors — including retail stores , offices , personal care services — occupancy will be limited to 25 % maximum capacity .
• The number of patrons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be limited to 50 % of the maximum outdoor capacity .
• The number of customers at outdoor cardrooms , mini-golf , go-karts and batting cages will be limited to 50 % maximum outdoor capacity .
• Services at personal care establishments may only be provided by appointment to customers wearing face coverings by staff wearing face coverings .
Those that require either the customer or the staff to remove their face covering , such as facials and shaves , are not permitted .
Food and drinks can not be served at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , breweries , wineries and all other retail establishments deemed nonessential must close their doors to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m .
But they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours .
With COVID-19 spreading at a rapid rate , officials have warned that other public health interventions may become necessary to stem transmission .
Among those contingencies : • If L.A. County reaches 4,000 average cases daily over a five-day period , officials would stop outdoor dining at restaurants , returning eateries to offering only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time since May .
• Should the numbers of new cases further worsen to more than 4,500 cases a day on average over a five-day period , the county would impose a new stay-at-home order that would only generally allow essential workers and people securing essential services to leave their homes , as well as implement a 10 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that only exempts essential workers .
L.A. officials said they are alarmed by the rapid spread of the .
For the two-week period that ended Thursday , average daily cases over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,700 cases a day to nearly 3,400 cases a day .
In the most pessimistic scenario , L.A. County could cross a red line as early as Thanksgiving week that would put the region on the cusp of a new stay-at-home order .
Officials said they would give three days ’ notice before a new health order would go into effect .
A new stay-at-home measure would be another body blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic .
Officials said they want to keep businesses open but might not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise be slowed .
“ At this point , no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus , nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy , ” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said .
“ With the surge in transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County , it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.
” Meanwhile , California public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is designed to “ reduce opportunities for disease transmission with the goal of decreasing the number of hours individuals are in the community and mixing with individuals outside of their household.
” In other words , it ’ s intended to discourage social gatherings such as late-night meals at outdoor restaurants and private parties .
Here ’ s what the mandatory order does : • Prohibits all gatherings with members of other households and all activities conducted outside one ’ s residence , lodging or temporary accommodation with members of other households from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which represent roughly 94 % of California ’ s population .
• Allows people to leave home to walk their dog or take walks with people they live with , buy groceries or pick up drugs at the pharmacy late at night , pick up or receive takeout food , travel to the emergency room or urgent care or for other essential purposes ; • Does not affect activities associated with the operation , maintenance or use of critical infrastructure ; • Goes into effect Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21 , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not apply to people experiencing homelessness .
Nothing in the order prevents any number of people from the same household from leaving their residence , lodging or temporary accommodation , as long as they do not engage in any interaction with ( or otherwise gather with ) any number of people from any other household , except as specifically permitted by .
• Allows local authorities to decide how this order might be enforced if needed .

Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

Mario Ynostrosa, right, with Los Angeles Restoration Church, gives hand sanitizer to people waiting in line for food Thursday at MacArthur Park.
Los Angeles County on Friday ordered restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. and place a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households. It’s part of an attempt to slow the dangerous spread of COVID-19.
Here are the details:
For nonessential businesses permitted to operate indoors — including retail stores, offices, personal care services — occupancy will be limited to 25% maximum capacity.
The number of patrons at outdoor restaurants, breweries and wineries will be limited to 50% of the maximum outdoor capacity.
The number of customers at outdoor cardrooms, mini-golf, go-karts and batting cages will be limited to 50% maximum outdoor capacity.
Services at personal care establishments may only be provided by appointment to customers wearing face coverings by staff wearing face coverings. Those that require either the customer or the staff to remove their face covering, such as facials and shaves, are not permitted. Food and drinks cannot be served at these establishments to customers.
Restaurants, breweries, wineries and all other retail establishments deemed nonessential must close their doors to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. But they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours.
With COVID-19 spreading at a rapid rate, officials have warned that other public health interventions may become necessary to stem transmission. Among those contingencies:
If L.A. County reaches 4,000 average cases daily over a five-day period, officials would stop outdoor dining at restaurants, returning eateries to offering only delivery and takeout service for the first time since May.
Should the numbers of new cases further worsen to more than 4,500 cases a day on average over a five-day period, the county would impose a new stay-at-home order that would only generally allow essential workers and people securing essential services to leave their homes, as well as implement a 10 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that only exempts essential workers.
L.A. officials said they are alarmed by the rapid spread of the infection . For the two-week period that ended Thursday, average daily cases over a five-day period have doubled, from more than 1,700 cases a day to nearly 3,400 cases a day.
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In the most pessimistic scenario, L.A. County could cross a red line as early as Thanksgiving week that would put the region on the cusp of a new stay-at-home order. Officials said they would give three days’ notice before a new health order would go into effect.
A new stay-at-home measure would be another body blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic. Officials said they want to keep businesses open but might not have a choice if the outbreaks cannot otherwise be slowed.
“At this point, no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy,” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. “With the surge in transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.”
Meanwhile, California public health officials on Thursday announced a limited nighttime stay-at-home order starting this weekend that is designed to “reduce opportunities for disease transmission with the goal of decreasing the number of hours individuals are in the community and mixing with individuals outside of their household.”
In other words, it’s intended to discourage social gatherings such as late-night meals at outdoor restaurants and private parties.
Here’s what the mandatory order does: