latimes--2020-05-16--Some California gyms reopen in defiance of stay-at-home rules

A few fitness centers and gyms in Southern California are reopening , in some cases challenging California ’ s stay-at-home rules .
In Riverside County , the Self Made Training Facility in Corona reopened May 4 .
The business is classified as a private training facility rather than a gym , so the opening complies with Riverside County ’ s health orders , its owner , Kelly Michelsen , said Friday .
Though the facility resembles a gym , it offers appointment-only sessions with personal trainers and is not open to general membership , she said .
“ We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a lot of foot traffic coming in here , ” Michelsen said .
The training facility had been closed since March 20 and was not able to obtain economic relief funds , she said .
Michelsen was able to dip into personal reserves during the pandemic , but many of the personal trainers took a hit and wanted to get back to work , she said .
“ I felt it was extremely important , especially during this time , that we spread awareness to people that long-term health is important , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private personal trainers that are very skilled in that.
” Since reopening , the facility has taken extra precautions , including checking temperatures at the door , having clients sign a waiver and wash their hands before and after sessions , and limiting capacity to eight trainers and eight clients per hour , Michelsen said .
She said she ’ s also placed markers six feet apart to encourage distancing between trainers and clients .
She said business has been brisk , and she ’ s received nothing but support from the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen an influx of people that can ’ t go to regular gyms that are scheduling appointments with them , ” she said .
A spokeswoman for the county said she was not aware of an exemption for private training facilities but deferred to the state .
California ’ s stay-at-home orders classify gyms and fitness studios as higher-risk businesses , which are permitted to reopen during Phase 3 of the state ’ s recovery plan .
The state is currently in Phase 2 .
At least two gyms in San Diego County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Vista — reopened this week , despite county and state prohibitions .
Both owners said they fear they could be forced to shut down at any time .
Oceanside police arrested Metroflex Gym owner Lou Uridel for opening his business on Sunday .
He was released the same day , and reopened again Wednesday after holding what he called a “ freedom rally ” attended by well over 100 people in the parking lot outside his business .
He said Thursday that officers had warned him again that he could be cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but so far the police had taken no additional action and he had no intention of closing .
Uridel was only the second person cited in Oceanside for violating COVID-19 health restrictions , said police spokesman Tom Bussey .
The previous arrest was several weeks ago , when lifeguards detained a surfer who ignored repeated warnings to leave the ocean before the county lifted the surfing ban in late April .
“ Our objective is one of education and compliance , ” Bussey said Thursday .
“ Most people are good about doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect lives here.
” A separate north San Diego County fitness business , Gym Vista , reopened May 7 and remains open despite the state and county prohibitions on nonessential businesses .
The gym was crowded with people working out on exercise machines Thursday afternoon .
No one wore face masks , and few appeared to be maintaining a six-foot distance .
“ The owner was warned and given copies of the state and county public health order , ” said San Diego County sheriff ’ s Lt. Ricardo Lopez on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open , a case for violating [ the order ] was submitted to the district attorney ’ s office.
” “ For the majority of the violations , deputies have been able to use education to gain voluntary compliance , ” Lopez said .
Manager and co-owner Todd Danner said Thursday that since the warning , Sheriff ’ s Department patrol cars drive past the gym several times a day , apparently in response to phone calls .
Before its reopening , the Vista gym sent a news release to the media and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would adhere to all public health guidelines , hire additional cleaning staff and require members to declare that they have no COVID-19 symptoms and sign waivers accepting personal responsibility .
“ We wanted to make it known we were opening up for the community we serve , ” Danner said .

Lou Uridel, owner of the MetroFlex Gym in Oceanside, spoke on Wednesday at a protest in front of his business. Uridel was arrested and cited last week after refusing to close and has since been released.
A few fitness centers and gyms in Southern California are reopening, in some cases challenging California’s stay-at-home rules.
In Riverside County, the Self Made Training Facility in Corona reopened May 4.
The business is classified as a private training facility rather than a gym, so the opening complies with Riverside County’s health orders, its owner, Kelly Michelsen, said Friday.
Advertisement
Though the facility resembles a gym, it offers appointment-only sessions with personal trainers and is not open to general membership, she said. “We can control our environment and there’s not a lot of foot traffic coming in here,” Michelsen said. The training facility had been closed since March 20 and was not able to obtain economic relief funds, she said.
Michelsen was able to dip into personal reserves during the pandemic, but many of the personal trainers took a hit and wanted to get back to work, she said.
“I felt it was extremely important, especially during this time, that we spread awareness to people that long-term health is important,” she said. “I have private personal trainers that are very skilled in that.”
Since reopening, the facility has taken extra precautions, including checking temperatures at the door, having clients sign a waiver and wash their hands before and after sessions, and limiting capacity to eight trainers and eight clients per hour, Michelsen said.
She said she’s also placed markers six feet apart to encourage distancing between trainers and clients. She said business has been brisk, and she’s received nothing but support from the community.
“The private personal trainers have seen an influx of people that can’t go to regular gyms that are scheduling appointments with them,” she said.
Advertisement
A spokeswoman for the county said she was not aware of an exemption for private training facilities but deferred to the state.
California’s stay-at-home orders classify gyms and fitness studios as higher-risk businesses, which are permitted to reopen during Phase 3 of the state’s recovery plan. The state is currently in Phase 2.
At least two gyms in San Diego County — one in Oceanside and the other in Vista — reopened this week, despite county and state prohibitions. Both owners said they fear they could be forced to shut down at any time.
Oceanside police arrested Metroflex Gym owner Lou Uridel for opening his business on Sunday. He was released the same day, and reopened again Wednesday after holding what he called a “freedom rally” attended by well over 100 people in the parking lot outside his business.
He said Thursday that officers had warned him again that he could be cited for each day he remains open, but so far the police had taken no additional action and he had no intention of closing.
Uridel was only the second person cited in Oceanside for violating COVID-19 health restrictions, said police spokesman Tom Bussey. The previous arrest was several weeks ago, when lifeguards detained a surfer who ignored repeated warnings to leave the ocean before the county lifted the surfing ban in late April.
“Our objective is one of education and compliance,” Bussey said Thursday. “Most people are good about doing what is asked. We are trying to protect lives here.”
A separate north San Diego County fitness business, Gym Vista, reopened May 7 and remains open despite the state and county prohibitions on nonessential businesses.
The gym was crowded with people working out on exercise machines Thursday afternoon. No one wore face masks, and few appeared to be maintaining a six-foot distance.
“The owner was warned and given copies of the state and county public health order,” said San Diego County sheriff’s Lt. Ricardo Lopez on Friday. “Since he chose to remain open, a case for violating [the order] was submitted to the district attorney’s office.”
“For the majority of the violations, deputies have been able to use education to gain voluntary compliance,” Lopez said.
Manager and co-owner Todd Danner said Thursday that since the warning, Sheriff’s Department patrol cars drive past the gym several times a day, apparently in response to phone calls.
Before its reopening, the Vista gym sent a news release to the media and city officials, stating that the business would adhere to all public health guidelines, hire additional cleaning staff and require members to declare that they have no COVID-19 symptoms and sign waivers accepting personal responsibility.
“We wanted to make it known we were opening up for the community we serve,” Danner said.


latimes--2020-05-16--About half of all small businesses in danger of failing during pandemic, survey finds

Carlos Marroquin dropped wearily onto a wooden bench in the center of the tiny Newhall soccer shop to which he has poured 15 years of his life and all of his resources .
“ I ’ ve never felt as a scared as I do right now , ” he said , unsmiling eyes peeking out from above a cloth face covering .
“ I pray to survive .
I don ’ t know if I will.
” Marroquin ’ s shop , Planet Soccer , weathered the 2008 recession , nearby wildfires and a recent roof collapse caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in comparison to the hit his store , and most small businesses , have taken during the shutdown ordered two months ago by Gov .
Gavin Newsom in response to the spread of COVID-19 .
The store was allowed to open , under certain restrictions , last week , but with business down more than 90 % , that may prove to be a stay of execution rather than a full reprieve .
Thirty-five miles away , in the Mid-City part of Los Angeles , Chiara Arroyo and Celene Navarrette have similar worries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny staff at LA Librería , their Spanish-language children ’ s bookstore , and used a loan to pay the rent .
“ We don ’ t know about the future and how we will be able to sustain our business , ” Arroyo said .
“ It ’ s kind of hard.
” If the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic lasts past Memorial Day , which seems certain , about half of all small businesses could be in danger of failing , an April survey by the National Federation of Independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 could fold if the damage lasts until Labor Day .
“ The real question is about solvency , ” said Brian T. Kench , dean of the college of business at the University of New Haven in Connecticut .
“ As the duration of the crisis continues , we are moving away from sort of the happy talk of quick V-shaped recovery into something that ’ s a little more U-shaped or L-shaped , where the duration lasts much longer .
“ That leads to more and more businesses that are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each shuttered restaurant or closed boutique is a body blow to its neighborhood , some of those punches will hurt more than others .
In the case of shops like Planet Soccer and LA Librería — and so many others that fit a unique niche — closure would leave an unfillable hole in the community .
“ They ’ re very important , especially because they ’ re the only Spanish [ -language ] bookstore in the area ” for children , ” Anna Avalos , senior librarian for multilingual collections at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Librería .
“ Everybody else is in New York , Miami .
LA Librería is the only bookstore that we have that the community can go and purchase books from.
” Avalos stocks shelves at 73 public libraries partly with children ’ s material bought from LA Librería .
And while those same books could be purchased online , what can ’ t be found on the web is the expertise of the bookstore ’ s two owners .
“ I work with them because I know that they ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know the quality of the books they ’ re sending to me , ” Avalos said .
“ They ’ re mothers like me who are trying to get the best items for our children .
And because they have that knowledge , they ’ re able to provide that.
” It was hard-won knowledge .
Arroyo , who was born in Spain and has a master ’ s in journalism and bachelor ’ s in philosophy and literature , and Navarrette , a Mexican who teaches information technology at Cal State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assigned to the book-fair committee at their children ’ s bilingual elementary school .
Appalled by the poor translations and the stereotypical roles of the characters in the books they found , Arroyo said , “ We decided to take action and say ‘ OK , let ’ s try to improve that.
’ ” That was 2012 and the first collection of books they collected sold out so quickly that they opened a store in 2015 .
Today , half their customers don ’ t speak Spanish but come to LA Librería @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children become bilingual .
“ LA Librería is more than a bookstore .
We ’ ve become a hub for many families , ” Arroyo said of the 800-square-foot storefront along a weathered commercial stretch of Washington Boulevard .
“ People will come from Tijuana because we have books that they won ’ t find in Mexico .
People will come from Fresno because we have a workshop and the trip will be worth it for them .
It is also a closed store now , with books available for curbside pickup only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen this summer , said Avalos the librarian , “ there ’ s going to be a big hole in the community.
” Back in Newhall , Marroquin , a former youth national team player in his native Guatemala who said he has two short stays with professional soccer clubs in Europe , is more than $ 9,000 behind on his rent in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood .
Catching up will be tough ; Marroquin has already gotten rid of every employee he ’ s not related to , but since partially reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 % of normal .
“ The fundamental issue will all these small businesses is the revenue has dried up , ” Kench , the business school dean , said .
For Marroquin , 53 , that revenue came from local club and American Youth Soccer Organization players or the five high school soccer teams his store outfits .
With schools closed and club practices canceled by COVID-19 , the stream of traffic through the store has slowed to a trickle .
“ Nobody is playing soccer right now , ” said Marroquin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the words tumbling out in both English and Spanish , when he ’ s excited .
“ Nobody ’ s practicing.
” But like LA Librería , Planet Soccer is selling more than merchandise , which would make its demise more painful .
“ This is a soccer store .
We don ’ t sell only for selling , ” said Marroquin , who opened the shop in 2005 .
“ We are 100 % sure that people have the right shoes , the right soccer ball , the right jersey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to another place , you pick out whatever you want and you leave .
You ’ re asking for advice.
” That has paid off in loyalty , if not profits .
“ Everyone knows Carlos in the community .
All the soccer moms , ” said Noelle Watkins , who came in with her 13-year-old son and got a discount on her purchase because the boy plays in a local league .
Outside the store , the women ’ s semipro team Marroquin sponsors is uncertain whether it will play this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two players to the Women ’ s World Cup in France last summer and two years before that , one of its stars , Venezuela ’ s Deyna Castellanos , finished third in voting for the FIFA player of the year award .
So if Marroquin has to close the doors to his 1,281-square-foot store permanently , Santa Clarita will lose not only its oldest soccer shop but its top-ranked soccer team as well .
Sure , the big-box stores will keep selling soccer shoes .
But those other holes will be hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the big difference between a small business and big corporations , ” said Marroquin , who has no plans to quit just yet .
“ I ’ ll be here every day , ” he promises , “ no matter what .
”

Celene Navarrete, left, and Chiara Arroyo in front of their LA Libreria bookstore in the Mid-City neighborhood. They have cut half their staff and used a loan to pay their rent during the state-ordered shutdown of most businesses.
Carlos Marroquin dropped wearily onto a wooden bench in the center of the tiny Newhall soccer shop to which he has poured 15 years of his life and all of his resources.
“I’ve never felt as a scared as I do right now,” he said, unsmiling eyes peeking out from above a cloth face covering. “I pray to survive. I don’t know if I will.”
Marroquin’s shop, Planet Soccer, weathered the 2008 recession, nearby wildfires and a recent roof collapse caused by heavy rains. But all that pales in comparison to the hit his store, and most small businesses, have taken during the shutdown ordered two months ago by Gov. Gavin Newsom in response to the spread of COVID-19.
Advertisement
The store was allowed to open, under certain restrictions, last week, but with business down more than 90%, that may prove to be a stay of execution rather than a full reprieve.
Thirty-five miles away, in the Mid-City part of Los Angeles, Chiara Arroyo and Celene Navarrette have similar worries. They have already cut half the tiny staff at LA Librería, their Spanish-language children’s bookstore, and used a loan to pay the rent.
“We don’t know about the future and how we will be able to sustain our business,” Arroyo said. “It’s kind of hard.”
If the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic lasts past Memorial Day, which seems certain, about half of all small businesses could be in danger of failing, an April survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found. More than 6 in 10 could fold if the damage lasts until Labor Day.
Carlos Marroquin, 53, owner of Planet Soccer in Newhall, practices social distancing while talking to customer Benton Watkins, 13, of Santa Clarita as he tries on a new pair of soccer cleats inside the recently reopened store. Both are wearing protective face masks. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
“The real question is about solvency,” said Brian T. Kench, dean of the college of business at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. “As the duration of the crisis continues, we are moving away from sort of the happy talk of quick V-shaped recovery into something that’s a little more U-shaped or L-shaped, where the duration lasts much longer.
Advertisement
“That leads to more and more businesses that are just trying to hold on.”
And while each closed restaurant or boutique is a body blow to its neighborhood, some of those punches will hurt more than others. In the case of shops like Planet Soccer and LA Librería — and so many others that fit a unique niche — closure would leave an unfillable hole in the community.
“They’re very important, especially because they’re the only Spanish[-language] bookstore in the area” for children,” Anna Avalos, senior librarian for multilingual collections at the Los Angeles Public Library said of LA Librería. “Everybody else is in New York, Miami. LA Librería is the only bookstore that we have that the community can go and purchase books from.”
Avalos stocks shelves at 73 public libraries partly with children’s material bought from LA Librería. And while those same books could be purchased online, what can’t be found on the web is the expertise of the bookstore’s two owners.
“I work with them because I know that they’re going to be knowledgeable and they’re going to know the quality of the books they’re sending to me,” Avalos said. “They’re mothers like me who are trying to get the best items for our children. And because they have that knowledge, they’re able to provide that.”
It was hard-won knowledge. Arroyo, who was born in Spain and has a master’s in journalism and bachelor’s in philosophy and literature, and Navarrette, a Mexican who teaches information technology at Cal State Dominguez Hills, met when they were assigned to the book-fair committee at their children’s bilingual elementary school. Appalled by the poor translations and the stereotypical roles of the characters in the books they found, Arroyo said, “We decided to take action and say ‘OK, let’s try to improve that.’”
That was in 2012, and the first batch of books they collected sold out so quickly that they opened a store in 2015. Today, half their customers don’t speak Spanish but come to LA Librería for advice on how to help their children become bilingual.
“LA Librería is more than a bookstore. We’ve become a hub for many families,” Arroyo said of the 800-square-foot storefront along a weathered commercial stretch of Washington Boulevard. “People will come from Tijuana because we have books that they won’t find in Mexico. People will come from Fresno because we have a workshop and the trip will be worth it for them.
“It is a destination store now.”
It is also a closed store now, with books available for curbside pickup only. And if it doesn’t reopen this summer, said Avalos the librarian, “there’s going to be a big hole in the community.”
Back in Newhall, Marroquin, a former youth national team player in his native Guatemala who said he has two short stays with professional soccer clubs in Europe, is more than $9,000 behind on his rent in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Catching up will be tough; Marroquin has already gotten rid of every employee he’s not related to, but since partially reopening a week ago, business is just 10% of normal.
“The fundamental issue will all these small businesses is the revenue has dried up,” said Kench, the business school dean.
For Marroquin, 53, that revenue came from local club and
American Youth Soccer Organization players or the five high school soccer teams his store outfits. With schools closed and club practices canceled by COVID-19, the stream of traffic through the store has slowed to a trickle.
“Nobody is playing soccer right now,” said Marroquin, who speaks in a hurried manner, the words tumbling out in both English and Spanish, when he’s excited. “Nobody’s practicing.”
But like LA Librería, Planet Soccer is selling more than merchandise, which would make its demise more painful.
“This is a soccer store. We don’t sell only for selling,” said Marroquin, who opened the shop in 2005. “We are 100% sure that people have the right shoes, the right soccer ball, the right jersey. It’s not like you went to another place, you pick out whatever you want and you leave. You’re asking for advice.”
That has paid off in loyalty, if not profits.
“Everyone knows Carlos in the community. All the soccer moms,” said Noelle Watkins, who came in with her 13-year-old son and got a discount on her purchase because the boy plays in a local league.
Outside the store, the women’s semipro team Marroquin sponsors is uncertain whether it will play this season. The Santa Clarita Blue Heat sent two players to the Women’s World Cup in France last summer. Two years before that, one of its stars, Venezuela’s Deyna Castellanos, finished third in voting for the FIFA player of the year award.
So if Marroquin has to close the doors to his 1,281-square-foot store permanently, the Santa Clarita Valley will lose not only its oldest soccer shop but its top-ranked soccer team as well. Sure, the big-box stores will keep selling soccer shoes. But those other holes will be hard to fill.
“That’s the big difference between a small business and big corporations,” said Marroquin, who has no plans to quit just yet.
“I’ll be here every day,” he promises, “no matter what.”


latimes--2020-05-16--Phase 2 of reopening California | Striking photos from around the state

The images we see on a daily basis still seem difficult to comprehend .
Seniors holding graduation ceremonies via Zoom @ @ @ @ @ Dodger Stadium filled with cars — not for a game but rather storage for rental @ @ @ @ @ flight crew walking through Los Angeles International Airport looking ready to tackle a hazmat situation @ @ @ @ @ second phase of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s four-phase plan to gradually reopen the @ @ @ @ @ .
There is no official date for when the third and fourth phases will begin @ @ @ @ @ images from around the state that now represent the “ new normal .
”

Roommates Anthony Villa, left, Amanda Jackson and Emily Largey visit Ventura Coast Brewing Co. in downtown Ventura as Ventura County allows resumption of dine-in service. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
The images we see on a daily basis still seem difficult to comprehend.
High school seniors holding graduation ceremonies via Zoom in their living rooms, Dodger Stadium filled with cars — not for a game but for storage of rental cars — and a flight crew walking through Los Angeles International Airport looking ready to tackle a hazmat situation.
California is in the midst of reopening as Gov. Gavin Newsom rolls out a four-phase plan to restart the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advertisement
Here are some images from around the state that now represent the “new normal.”
Visitors share a narrow hiking path at Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park in Pasadena on May 24. The overcrowding spurred officials to close the park. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
A cyclist wearing a protective face covering rides through Griffith Park. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Maricela Moreno, manager at El Tarasco in Marina del Rey, disinfects cash at the restaurant. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Rosa Pedraza cuts Robert Nunez’s hair at Rosa Hair Salon in Atwater on May 26. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Kenny Welch stands in front of his living structure on a 110 Freeway overpass during the pandemic. “ I would rather fend for myself than rely on the government for shelter,” said Welch. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Roomates Anthony Villa, left, Amanda Jackson and Emily Largey enjoy a visit to Ventura Coast Brewing Co. in downtown Ventura as Ventura County became the largest county in Southern California to resume dine-in service. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
On the first day of reopening at Hair Event in Fullerton, Kristy Rana, far left, Zaharia Bala and Kylee Liu cut customers’ hair. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Mildred “Millie” Stratton waves to a caravan of cars led by Alhambra police officers and firefighters. The parade past her home marked her 102nd birthday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The flight crew for a Hainan Airlines flight walks through Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
New Pierce College graduate Manon Guijarro has her photo taken by friend Paige Johnson at Chris Burden’s outdoor sculpture “Urban Light” at the L.A. County Museum of Art. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Mary Perez, a salesperson at High Class Jewels in downtown L.A., helps a customer in the recently reopened store. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
A woman, masked against COVID-19, walks past a building featuring Britney Spears in L.A.’s Fairfax District. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The Rosales family treks down the rocky banks of Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale after spending an afternoon at the newly reopened recreation area. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Maria Morales, center, participates in virtual USC graduation via Zoom, with brother Manny Morales, left, mom Pilar Morales and stepdad Victor Ramos, from her home in Orange. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Professional dog walker Lindsay Rojas takes golden retrievers Gomez, left, and Nikki for a stroll along Le Bourget Avenue in Culver City. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team banks over downtown Los Angeles in formation to salute healthcare workers and first responders on May 15. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The monument to surfers at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz wears a coronavirus mask. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
A woman wearing a protective mask walks past a shuttered business in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Thousands of rental cars are stored at Dodger Stadium as the health crisis has caused rentals to nosedive. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Traveling nurse Gail Cunningham, outside the emergency room entrance to Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley, waves as residents pay tribute to medical personnel with a drive-by rally. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Ben, left, Julia, Luke and Ethan Brenier help their mom prepare to open the Wishing Well store in Whittier after it was closed due to coronavirus restrictions. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Some beachgoers actively use the beach while others relax on the sand, despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s active-use-only order, in Huntington Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A security guard gets some exercise while keeping watch on the Apple Store at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, retail shops are allowed to reopen if they provide curbside pickup and practice social distancing. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Christine Gamez of Fullerton returns her fostered dog, Tyson, to the South L.A. animal shelter. Gamez was emotional because she could no longer continue to foster Tyson due to her current living situation. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-05-16--L.A. County has more open this weekend than it has in months. What you can and can't do

Beaches are open .
A growing number of businesses are open for curbside service .
Hiking is again OK in most areas .
Slowly , Southern California is reopening , and this weekend , residents will be able to do more than they have in weeks .
But there are still strict safety rules aimed at slowing the coronavirus .
Here is what you and can ’ t do this weekend : Los Angeles County beaches are now open to limited activities in what amounts to a small but symbolic milestone in the effort to slowly ease stay-at-home orders implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include running , walking , swimming and surfing .
Group sports like volleyball are prohibited .
— Other activities , including picnicking and sunbathing , and their accessories — canopies , coolers and the like — will continue to be prohibited .
— Face coverings will be mandatory for anyone on the sand but not for people in the water .
Beachgoers will be required to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from other groups , the department said .
Other Southern California counties already reopened their beaches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , golf courses , recreation areas and trailheads are back open across the region , with social distancing rules .
Here is a full list of what ’ s open .
Many retail businesses are now open for curbside pickup .
According to the county , here is what is opening : • Lower-risk businesses ( curbside , door side , outdoor pickup or via delivery only ) • Retailers that are not in an indoor mall or shopping center .
• Car dealership showrooms ( open for sales with adherence to distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open for pickup and delivery but not dine-in service .
Malls remain closed .
Where must you wear a face covering ?
• If you visit any retail business ( except those in indoor malls , which are still closed ) , including those that are open only for curbside or doorside pickup • If you exercise in your neighborhood or are on a , golf course or ( where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby ) • If you ride on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or trains , or travel through • The new guidelines on face coverings exempt children under 2 and people with certain disabilities .
Mayor Eric Garcetti says the more stringent mask-wearing rules are a necessary step to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way .
“ Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home , ” Garcetti said .
“ That will help us get more freedoms.
” Guidance : “ Masks are , in fact , mandatory across the entire county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , not with members of your household and in any kind of contact with other people , ” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Even when on a solitary walk or run , Ferrer said , “ you now need to have a face covering with you , because if you came by other people , you were walking by other people , you tried to go into a grocery store , you absolutely have to have that face covering on.
” Residents should wear a cloth face covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there are people around , whether it be at a trailhead or a parking lot or a sidewalk , ” she said .
Officials also said visitors to the county ’ s beaches , which opened Wednesday for active recreational use , must cover their faces unless they are in the water .
Masks are required in public but only when the wearer is within six feet of others .
Jogging , bicycling and other outdoor activities are exempt , though the city does require residents to carry a mask outdoors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people appear .
Under a county ordinance issued last month , “ all employees of any grocery store , pharmacy/drug store , convenience store , gas station , restaurant , food preparation establishment , or retail store in Orange County who may have contact with the public must wear a cloth face covering while at work .
”

Alex Wigglesworth, Hannah Fry, Luke Money

People walk along the sand in Manhattan Beach on Friday.
Beaches are open. A growing number of businesses are open for curbside service. Hiking is again OK in most areas.
Slowly, Southern California is reopening, and this weekend, residents will be able to do more than they have in weeks.
But there are still strict safety rules aimed at slowing the coronavirus.
Here is what you and can’t do this weekend:
Advertisement
Beaches
Los Angeles County beaches are now open to limited activities in what amounts to a small but symbolic milestone in the effort to slowly ease stay-at-home orders implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
— Permitted activities will include running, walking, swimming and surfing. Group sports like volleyball are prohibited.
— Other activities, including picnicking and sunbathing, and their accessories — canopies, coolers and the like — will continue to be prohibited.
— Face coverings will be mandatory for anyone on the sand but not for people in the water. Beachgoers will be required to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from other groups, the department said.
— Beach parking lots, bike paths, piers and boardwalks will remain closed .
Other Southern California counties already reopened their beaches, with social distancing rules.
Trails and parks
Many parks, golf courses, recreation areas and trailheads are back open across the region, with social distancing rules.
Advertisement
Even Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge reopens today.
Here is a full list of what’s open.
Businesses
Many retail businesses are now open for curbside pickup.
According to the county, here is what is opening:
Lower-risk businesses (curbside, door side, outdoor pickup or via delivery only)
Retailers that are not in an indoor mall or shopping center.
Manufacturing and logistics-sector businesses that supply lower-risk retail businesses.
Among low-risk retailers:
Bookstores
Clothing stores
Florists
Music stores
Sporting goods stores
Toy stores
Car dealership showrooms (open for sales with adherence to distancing and infection control protocols)
Restaurants remain open for pickup and delivery but not dine-in service. Malls remain closed.
Mask rules
City of Los Angeles
Where must you wear a face covering?
If you visit any retail business (except those in indoor malls, which are still closed), including those that are open only for curbside or doorside pickup
If you exercise in your neighborhood or are on a trail , golf course or beach (where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby)
, golf course or (where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby) If you ride on L.A. Department of Transportation transit buses, Metro buses or trains, or travel through Los Angeles International Airport
or trains, or travel through The new guidelines on face coverings exempt children under 2 and people with certain disabilities.
Mayor Eric Garcetti says the more stringent mask-wearing rules are a necessary step to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way.
“Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home,” Garcetti said. “That will help us get more freedoms.”
Los Angeles County
Guidance: “Masks are, in fact, mandatory across the entire county when you’re outside of your home, not with members of your household and in any kind of contact with other people,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Even when on a solitary walk or run, Ferrer said, “you now need to have a face covering with you, because if you came by other people, you were walking by other people, you tried to go into a grocery store, you absolutely have to have that face covering on.”
Residents should wear a cloth face covering “any time you’re out and there are people around, whether it be at a trailhead or a parking lot or a sidewalk,” she said. Officials also said visitors to the county’s beaches, which opened Wednesday for active recreational use, must cover their faces unless they are in the water.
San Diego County
Masks are required in public but only when the wearer is within six feet of others. Jogging, bicycling and other outdoor activities are exempt, though the city does require residents to carry a mask outdoors and have it readily available in case other people appear.
Orange County
Under a county ordinance issued last month, “all employees of any grocery store, pharmacy/drug store, convenience store, gas station, restaurant, food preparation establishment, or retail store in Orange County who may have contact with the public must wear a cloth face covering while at work.”


latimes--2020-05-16--The coronavirus outbreak could be the textbook for virtual school

What could possibly be more educational for a teenager than living through a pandemic ?
In an ideal world , if I ran a high school , as soon as classes went virtual , I ’ d have made life right now their textbook .
I ’ d have had students examining pandemic government and politics , pandemic economics , pandemic psychology .
I ’ d have had them following the epidemiology of the virus in science classes , parsing the statistical models in math classes , collecting oral histories and documenting daily details of this strange time as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into something living and breathing and immediate .
I ’ d also have ditched the prepared reading lists and had history students read up on the 1918 Spanish flu and every English class read Albert Camus ’ “ The Plague.
” ( I ’ m reading it now for my book group .
It could not be more relevant . )
All my students would be asked to keep pandemic journals of these days — when they can ’ t see their friends and they ’ re stuck at home with parents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer and even the usual texting gets dull .
They ’ d be asked to try to record as vividly as possible their experiences and feelings , however small , so they can later summon up exactly how this time felt .
Every student also would be asked to interview grandparents , neighbors , local shop owners and front-line workers about what this pandemic time is like for them .
It could all be done safely , by phone .
It would be a resource for future historians .
It would help build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a deeper sense it would build their understanding of how profoundly the pandemic is affecting others — and why it ’ s important , even if you feel invulnerable , to take safety measure to help protect them .
I started thinking about this a month ago , when I first heard from a thoughtful 16-year-old named Mira Kwon , a junior at the Marlborough School , who was just then launching a volunteer , delivery-fee-free service to bring food to older and immunocompromised people .
Had times been normal , Mira @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have just spent spring break on a tour of East Coast colleges .
Instead she ’ d been at home and bored and looking for something — anything — interesting to do , when her aunt sent her a story about Zoomers to Boomers , a delivery service started by Santa Barbara high school students .
Mira picked up the phone and soon after agreed to open the Los Angeles branch .
She had no idea what a big commitment that would be or how much she ’ d have to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by the way , would play a central role in my ideal coronavirus-era school .
I would block out time for it and ask every student to commit to a helpful project — whether it be making masks or reaching out by phone to chat with people living alone or using their social-media skills to crowdfund for those in great need .
For weeks now , during school hours , Mira has been staring at her computer screen , watching her teachers try to cover the same ground they would have covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advanced Placement tests and recently started to take them , just as she would have done before — though they ’ re now online .
But those experiences grab her — and I believe teach and help her — far less in this moment than her ever-growing extracurricular effort , which constantly hands her new , real-world challenges .
She had to come up with a model for helping people that wouldn ’ t involve putting either herself or them in danger , which meant learning all about how to sanitize properly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take them off safely .
She had to recruit friends and figure out to engage them — by learning to delegate and empower them to take on independent roles in the project .
She and two key classmates — Lexi Gluck , who became the director of finance , and Sadie Weil , who took on communications — had to find ways to recruit other students from private and public schools all over the city .
They had to learn how to set up delivery schedules and invoices and payments and how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by contacting newspapers , radio stations , neighborhood councils , churches and synagogues .
Mira knew she didn ’ t want her volunteers taking daily risks at big supermarkets .
She wanted to place orders that could be packed in advance .
So she made cold calls until she found Farm Fresh Produce at the Original Farmers Market , which was willing to create standardized assortments of vegetables and fruits for safe pickup .
Then the people who placed orders started asking for other things so she made cold calls again to many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She reached out , too , to the central office of the Original Farmers Market , which got her in touch with its other shops .
And when she found people who couldn ’ t pay for their own groceries , she linked up with a nonprofit to help deliver free meals .
She was tentative at first , she said , about approaching strangers .
When a person she delivered to in the early days criticized her ( which has happened only one other time since ) , she called her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tougher now , she told me , from the experience .
On Wednesday afternoon , from a safe distance , I watched Mira fill a delivery at the market .
Shopkeepers greeted her warmly .
She confidently and efficiently moved from stall to stall , picking up rhubarb , oranges , apples , plums and almonds from Farm Fresh Produce , baby back ribs from Huntington Meats & Sausages , milk and cookies from Monsieur Marcel , a fresh boysenberry pie from Du-par ’ s .
The other day , she took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disabled woman in her late 70s , who told Mira that it ’ s hard for her to walk and she ’ s scared to go out and that she ’ d been living for at least a week on oatmeal and dried fruit and Campbell ’ s soup and saltines .
A neighbor had told her about Mira ’ s service .
She was so relieved .
Mira brought her the roast chicken and fresh fruit and vegetables she asked for as well as extras — chocolate chip cookies baked by her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom .
“ It felt like Christmas , ” Navarro told me of the delivery .
“ I ’ m still glowing from the kindness.
” A year ago , Mira was grounded for throwing three parties when her parents were away .
She thought fitting in mattered .
Now she knows other things , like helping those in need , matter much more .
“ I think a lot of people are isolated and we ’ ve been isolated too , ” she said of her team of teen volunteers .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them and for us to have some interaction .
I think that ’ s what ’ s been meaningful to us , to be able to make someone ’ s day.
” That ’ s not something she learned in school .
I know many teachers have been creative during this time .
I ’ d love to hear their stories .
I also understand that school curricula and requirements tend to be firmly set , especially in the higher grades — when the goal is to get kids into college .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new school year , as it is likely to do , I hope schools will go much further than slotting what they always have taught into a smooth online format .
I hope they ’ ll see the educational power of teaching about this time .
Because if there ever was a teachable moment , it ’ s now .

Mira Kwon, 16, a junior at the Marlborough School, shops for a client at Monsieur Marcel gourmet market at the Original Farmers Market on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
What could possibly be more educational for a teenager than living through a pandemic?
In an ideal world, if I ran a high school, as soon as classes went virtual, I’d have made life right now their textbook.
I’d have had students examining pandemic government and politics, pandemic economics, pandemic psychology. I’d have had them following the epidemiology of the virus in science classes, parsing the statistical models in math classes, collecting oral histories and documenting daily details of this strange time as a way of transforming the study of history into something living and breathing and immediate.
Advertisement
I’d also have ditched the prepared reading lists and had history students read up on the 1918 Spanish flu and every English class read Albert Camus’ “The Plague.” (I’m reading it now for my book group. It could not be more relevant.)
All my students would be asked to keep pandemic journals of these days — when they can’t see their friends and they’re stuck at home with parents and siblings and the hours seem to stretch longer and even the usual texting gets dull.
They’d be asked to try to record as vividly as possible their experiences and feelings, however small, so they can later summon up exactly how this time felt.
Every student also would be asked to interview grandparents, neighbors, local shop owners and front-line workers about what this pandemic time is like for them.
It could all be done safely, by phone. It would be a resource for future historians. It would help build the students’ communication skills. And in a deeper sense it would build their understanding of how profoundly the pandemic is affecting others — and why it’s important, even if you feel invulnerable, to take safety measure to help protect them.
I started thinking about this a month ago, when I first heard from a thoughtful 16-year-old named Mira Kwon, a junior at the Marlborough School, who was just then launching a volunteer, delivery-fee-free service to bring food to older and immunocompromised people.
Had times been normal, Mira, when we first spoke, would have just spent spring break on a tour of East Coast colleges. Instead she’d been at home and bored and looking for something — anything — interesting to do, when her aunt sent her a story about Zoomers to Boomers, a delivery service started by Santa Barbara high school students. Mira picked up the phone and soon after agreed to open the Los Angeles branch.
Advertisement
She had no idea what a big commitment that would be or how much she’d have to figure out to make it work.
Community service, by the way, would play a central role in my ideal coronavirus-era school. I would block out time for it and ask every student to commit to a helpful project — whether it be making masks or reaching out by phone to chat with people living alone or using their social-media skills to crowdfund for those in great need.
For weeks now, during school hours, Mira has been staring at her computer screen, watching her teachers try to cover the same ground they would have covered pre-pandemic. She’s studied for Advanced Placement tests and recently started to take them, just as she would have done before — though they’re now online.
But those experiences grab her — and I believe teach and help her — far less in this moment than her ever-growing extracurricular effort, which constantly hands her new, real-world challenges.
She had to come up with a model for helping people that wouldn’t involve putting either herself or them in danger, which meant learning all about how to sanitize properly and how to wear masks and gloves and take them off safely. She had to recruit friends and figure out to engage them — by learning to delegate and empower them to take on independent roles in the project.
She and two key classmates — Lexi Gluck, who became the director of finance, and Sadie Weil, who took on communications — had to find ways to recruit other students from private and public schools all over the city. They had to learn how to set up delivery schedules and invoices and payments and how to let people know their service existed, by contacting newspapers, radio stations, neighborhood councils, churches and synagogues.
California Older does not equal expendable. We need to act in a way that protects our elders from coronavirus Older Americans deserve our protection from coronavirus. They want to get back to their busy lives, too
Mira knew she didn’t want her volunteers taking daily risks at big supermarkets. She wanted to place orders that could be packed in advance. So she made cold calls until she found Farm Fresh Produce at the Original Farmers Market, which was willing to create standardized assortments of vegetables and fruits for safe pickup.
Then the people who placed orders started asking for other things so she made cold calls again to many more small businesses to form more partnerships. She reached out, too, to the central office of the Original Farmers Market, which got her in touch with its other shops. And when she found people who couldn’t pay for their own groceries, she linked up with a nonprofit to help deliver free meals.
She was tentative at first, she said, about approaching strangers. When a person she delivered to in the early days criticized her (which has happened only one other time since), she called her parents, trembling. She’s tougher now, she told me, from the experience.
On Wednesday afternoon, from a safe distance, I watched Mira fill a delivery at the market. Shopkeepers greeted her warmly. She confidently and efficiently moved from stall to stall, picking up rhubarb, oranges, apples, plums and almonds from Farm Fresh Produce, baby back ribs from Huntington Meats & Sausages, milk and cookies from Monsieur Marcel, a fresh boysenberry pie from Du-par’s.
The other day, she took a delivery order from Mary Navarro, a disabled woman in her late 70s, who told Mira that it’s hard for her to walk and she’s scared to go out and that she’d been living for at least a week on oatmeal and dried fruit and Campbell’s soup and saltines. A neighbor had told her about Mira’s service. She was so relieved.
Mira brought her the roast chicken and fresh fruit and vegetables she asked for as well as extras — chocolate chip cookies baked by her little sister, salad toppings from her mom.
“It felt like Christmas,” Navarro told me of the delivery. “I’m still glowing from the kindness.”
A year ago, Mira was grounded for throwing three parties when her parents were away. She thought fitting in mattered.
Now she knows other things, like helping those in need, matter much more.
“I think a lot of people are isolated and we’ve been isolated too,” she said of her team of teen volunteers. “So it’s really helpful both for them and for us to have some interaction. I think that’s what’s been meaningful to us, to be able to make someone’s day.”
That’s not something she learned in school.
I know many teachers have been creative during this time. I’d love to hear their stories. I also understand that school curricula and requirements tend to be firmly set, especially in the higher grades — when the goal is to get kids into college.
But if this crisis continues into a new school year, as it is likely to do, I hope schools will go much further than slotting what they always have taught into a smooth online format.
I hope they’ll see the educational power of teaching about this time.
Because if there ever was a teachable moment, it’s now.


latimes--2020-05-16--Column: Wondering if L.A.'s new mask rules are overkill? Look at the Hong Kong example

Hey there , still trapped in your own home , waiting for the all clear ?
You can come outside now in the city of Los Angeles and move around a bit , and you can go somewhere other than to the supermarket or to work .
But you ’ ve got to wear a mask .
On Wednesday , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti put out the order that says you need to cover your face even for running , cycling and other athletic activities if you live in the city .
If you live in other parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask requirements since mid-April , you ’ re OK without facial covering as long as nobody is near you .
I know , it ’ s a little confusing , especially with different specifics in different locales , and with a U.S. president who defiantly refuses to wear a mask even as his health advisors recommend it .
Is it any wonder we ’ ve got pitchfork flare-ups in California and elsewhere on the front lines of the culture war ?
But it seems to me that most people in Greater Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will continue to play it safe .
The guy I saw on a bench on Thursday , waiting for a bus in Eagle Rock with his face fully exposed , had his own ideas about masks and the local and national response to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I think it ’ s a lot of bunk , ” said Eugene , 58 .
He told me he has worn a mask at times in congested places , but he thinks the way to beat back the virus is to allow widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said Sweden is a good example of how to do this , although the record there has been mixed .
The economy did not shut down with devastating effects , as it did in the U.S. , but Sweden has seen a big spike in deaths compared with some countries .
Eugene ’ s views aren ’ t universal , thank goodness .
In Long Beach , a retiree named Richard Engel seems to have considerably more faith in the modern scientific establishment .
And in masks .
Engel emailed me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how to confront the coronavirus from the city of Hong Kong , where his niece lives .
“ She feels that the death and infection rates are so low there because virtually everyone wears masks when in public , ” said Engel .
He added that in Hong Kong , there had only been four deaths from COVID-19 as of last week .
How can that be ?
Hong Kong has a dense population of about 7.5 million while New York City , with a population of 8.4 million , has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles County , with 10 million people , has recorded 1,700 deaths .
But Engel was right .
As of last week , only four deathsin Hong Kong had been attributed to COVID-19 .
He put me in touch with his niece , Katie de Tilly , who owns an art gallery in Hong Kong .
She emailed me to say that when news of a SARS-like virus first appeared in January , “ no one and no government official needed to tell people to wear a mask .
Literally 99 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schools were closed early in February , De Tilly said , and people returning to Hong Kong after foreign travel were screened , tracked , and told to quarantine for two weeks .
But most businesses , including hers , were able to remain open because there was no surge in cases .
A few days ago , in an article entitled “ How Hong Kong Did It , ” The Atlantic reported that citizens created their own information networks to analyze and monitor developments , complete with digital maps of outbreak locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defied Carrie Lam , the city ’ s chief executive , when they thought her response to the pandemic was weak and irresponsible .
“ When Lam oscillated between not wearing a mask in public and wearing one but incorrectly , ” the Atlantic reported , “ they blasted her online and mocked her.
” It ’ s a heck of a lot easier to manage a city of 8.5 million than a nation of 300 million people during a pandemic .
But with nearly 90,000 deaths in the U.S. so far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been saved if we had followed Hong Kong ’ s lead three months ago , or ramped up testing early as many Asian countries did .
Richard Engel ’ s sister Viktoria , a retired teacher , told me she routinely sees people socializing without masks when she goes for her daily walks in Belmont Shore .
“ I ’ ve said a couple of times , ‘ Why don ’ t you put your masks on ?
’ and they kind of pooh-pooh it and say they don ’ t need them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sick , ” said Viktoria , who wears a face shield outdoors .
“ They say , oh , we got through SARS and ebola and all of that and nothing ever happened , and this is like the flu.
” On Thursday , I saw a woman without a mask pushing a shopping cart outside a party supply store in Pasadena .
She told me she does wear a mask in grocery stores but thinks the media have over-hyped the coronavirus by focusing on the deaths and not on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survive .
She also said she didn ’ t know what to believe about how effective masks are .
Well , wearing a mask doesn ’ t guarantee that you won ’ t have a virus particle penetrate it , especially if you ’ re using a surgical mask or a homemade job rather than higher-grade protection , like such as an N-95 .
But there ’ s another consideration that seems to get overlooked .
“ I think people are missing the point of masks , ” said UCLA epidemiologist Anne Rimoin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect you from someone else , they ’ re to protect someone else from you.… The science is pretty clear that if you can reduce droplet spread , you will reduce transmission .
Along with social distancing and hand sanitizing , it ’ s another tool in the box.
” And if the people wearing masks are protecting you , isn ’ t it right that you should protect them back ?
My friend Mark Morocco , an emergency room doctor , said he doesn ’ t have the benefit of social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Every one of those patients can expose us , unless we are perfect in our PPE , and in the best case , if exposed we ’ re out of the game for a 14-day quarantine , ” Morocco said .
“ In the worst case ?
We think about it every day .
Masking and social distancing are inconveniences compared to the alternative.
” We are at the point now where the question is not whether to resume some normal activities and get people back to work as soon as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely , in the interest of public health and the economy .
From Hong Kong , Katie de Tilly has some words of wisdom in that regard .
“ If we could change the mentality to benevolence toward others rather than fear of catching something from someone else or protecting our rights , perhaps it would open people ’ s hearts toward a shared goal of a better next step in the world , ” she said .
“ One that includes the golden rule : Do unto others as you would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , I keep my germs and you keep yours .
”

People line up to receive free face masks from a convenience store chain in Hong Kong. The city embraced masks early and has had very few deaths from COVID-19.
Hey there, still trapped in your own home, waiting for the all clear?
You can come outside now in the city of Los Angeles and move around a bit, and you can go somewhere other than to the supermarket or to work.
But you’ve got to wear a mask.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti put out the order that says you need to cover your face even for running, cycling and other athletic activities if you live in the city.
If you live in other parts of L.A. County, which has had outdoor mask requirements since mid-April, you’re OK without facial covering as long as nobody is near you.
Advertisement
I know, it’s a little confusing, especially with different specifics in different locales, and with a U.S. president who defiantly refuses to wear a mask even as his health advisors recommend it. Is it any wonder we’ve got pitchfork flare-ups in California and elsewhere on the front lines of the culture war?
But it seems to me that most people in Greater Los Angeles have been in compliance for a while and will continue to play it safe.
Most people.
The guy I saw on a bench on Thursday, waiting for a bus in Eagle Rock with his face fully exposed, had his own ideas about masks and the local and national response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think it’s a lot of bunk,” said Eugene, 58.
He told me he has worn a mask at times in congested places, but he thinks the way to beat back the virus is to allow widespread infection that results in herd immunity. He said Sweden is a good example of how to do this, although the record there has been mixed. The economy did not shut down with devastating effects, as it did in the U.S., but Sweden has seen a big spike in deaths compared with some countries.
Eugene’s views aren’t universal, thank goodness. In Long Beach, a retiree named Richard Engel seems to have considerably more faith in the modern scientific establishment. And in masks.
Engel emailed me to say he thinks we can learn something about how to confront the coronavirus from the city of Hong Kong, where his niece lives.
Advertisement
“She feels that the death and infection rates are so low there because virtually everyone wears masks when in public,” said Engel.
He added that in Hong Kong, there had only been four deaths from COVID-19 as of last week.
How can that be?
Hong Kong has a dense population of about 7.5 million while New York City, with a population of 8.4 million, has had more than 27,000 COVID-19 deaths. Los Angeles County, with 10 million people, has recorded 1,700 deaths.
But Engel was right. As of last week, only four deathsin Hong Kong had been attributed to COVID-19. He put me in touch with his niece, Katie de Tilly, who owns an art gallery in Hong Kong. She emailed me to say that when news of a SARS-like virus first appeared in January, “no one and no government official needed to tell people to wear a mask. Literally 99% of the population” did so voluntarily.
Schools were closed early in February, De Tilly said, and people returning to Hong Kong after foreign travel were screened, tracked, and told to quarantine for two weeks. But most businesses, including hers, were able to remain open because there was no surge in cases.
A few days ago, in an article entitled “How Hong Kong Did It,” The Atlantic reported that citizens created their own information networks to analyze and monitor developments, complete with digital maps of outbreak locations. The article said Hong Kong residents defied Carrie Lam, the city’s chief executive, when they thought her response to the pandemic was weak and irresponsible.
“When Lam oscillated between not wearing a mask in public and wearing one but incorrectly,” the Atlantic reported, “they blasted her online and mocked her.”
It’s a heck of a lot easier to manage a city of 8.5 million than a nation of 300 million people during a pandemic. But with nearly 90,000 deaths in the U.S. so far, I wonder how many lives could have been saved if we had followed Hong Kong’s lead three months ago, or ramped up testing early as many Asian countries did.
Richard Engel’s sister Viktoria, a retired teacher, told me she routinely sees people socializing without masks when she goes for her daily walks in Belmont Shore.
“I’ve said a couple of times, ‘Why don’t you put your masks on?’ and they kind of pooh-pooh it and say they don’t need them or don’t know anybody who’s sick,” said Viktoria, who wears a face shield outdoors. “They say, oh, we got through SARS and ebola and all of that and nothing ever happened, and this is like the flu.”
On Thursday, I saw a woman without a mask pushing a shopping cart outside a party supply store in Pasadena. She told me she does wear a mask in grocery stores but thinks the media have over-hyped the coronavirus by focusing on the deaths and not on all the people who get the virus and survive. She also said she didn’t know what to believe about how effective masks are.
Well, wearing a mask doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have a virus particle penetrate it, especially if you’re using a surgical mask or a homemade job rather than higher-grade protection, like such as an N-95. But there’s another consideration that seems to get overlooked.
“I think people are missing the point of masks,” said UCLA epidemiologist Anne Rimoin. “They’re not to protect you from someone else, they’re to protect someone else from you.… The science is pretty clear that if you can reduce droplet spread, you will reduce transmission. Along with social distancing and hand sanitizing, it’s another tool in the box.”
And if the people wearing masks are protecting you, isn’t it right that you should protect them back?
My friend Mark Morocco, an emergency room doctor, said he doesn’t have the benefit of social distancing when a patient comes through the doors.
“Every one of those patients can expose us, unless we are perfect in our PPE, and in the best case, if exposed we’re out of the game for a 14-day quarantine,” Morocco said. “In the worst case? We think about it every day. Masking and social distancing are inconveniences compared to the alternative.”
We are at the point now where the question is not whether to resume some normal activities and get people back to work as soon as possible, but how to do so safely, in the interest of public health and the economy.
From Hong Kong, Katie de Tilly has some words of wisdom in that regard.
“If we could change the mentality to benevolence toward others rather than fear of catching something from someone else or protecting our rights, perhaps it would open people’s hearts toward a shared goal of a better next step in the world,” she said.
“One that includes the golden rule: Do unto others as you would like done unto you. Or in other words, I keep my germs and you keep yours.”
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-05-16--Even vigilant Angelenos are fed up with distancing and are bending the rules

For nearly two months , Sara McLean and her family took all the pandemic precautions .
The potter and her husband pulled their 6- and 12-year-olds out of school a few days before LAUSD canceled in-person instruction on March 16 .
They stocked up on gloves , masks and food .
And they didn ’ t leave the house , save for twice-monthly grocery trips .
But in late April , McLean began to consider how , for the sake of her sanity , she might safely bend the quarantine restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend over to her sprawling backyard in Mount Washington .
They sipped drinks — BYOB , of course — in cushioned chairs positioned many feet apart .
Feeling heartened by that experience , McLean decided to host a Mother ’ s Day party in her backyard .
She invited nine women , and five showed up .
Each guest had a designated spot on the patio .
McLean wiped down any surface her friends might have touched after they left .
“ I ’ ve already set up the premise in my mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to normal any time soon , ” said McLean , 45 .
“ So I ’ ve been asking myself , how can we change our lives so we can still safely do things that were important to us before the pandemic ?
” Health officials remain unequivocal : All gatherings should be avoided , and public health orders will “ with all certainty ” be extended through the end of July .
But as California experiences its ninth week of quarantine , many Angelenos who have strictly followed stay-at-home orders have reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by solitude and an endless procession of Zoom meetings , they have begun to loosen up their personal boundaries as they attempt to balance safety and mental health .
“ We were really cautious , ” said Gaby Cutini , who met up with close friends Charlotte Cooper and Abby Hercules in Santa Monica ’ s Ocean View Park on Wednesday to share a cake for Hercules ’ birthday .
“ Because we could each trace where each other had been and we knew we hadn ’ t broken quarantine , we knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conscientious crowd , these first meet-ups after weeks of isolation have elicited a complicated mix of emotions , such as joy and guilt .
But mostly , the meted-out in-person connection has offered profound relief .
And though they don ’ t condone them , health officials acknowledged such meetings will only grow more common in the weeks to come .
“ While we are not recommending you have dinners with your friends ... we understand that there may be circumstances where there are other people near you who you know , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Friday .
“ In those circumstances , please keep your distance and keep your face coverings on.
” Kayla Salisbury , an art teacher at Century Community Charter School in Inglewood , was among those testing the waters .
After weeks of rarely leaving her South L.A. home , she and her fiance gathered a small group of friends for a yoga class near the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at Kenneth Hahn State Park to celebrate her 27th birthday .
“ We were all yearning for it , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their vinyasas with masks on and mats spread six feet apart .
“ And that ’ s something we spoke about when we prayed after , just being grateful and how wonderful it felt to be outside and get some air.
” Although the park was busier than she had expected , almost everyone wore a mask and people kept a respectful distance from one another , Salisbury said .
She said knowing that the death rate had been far higher among black Angelenos like them made her and her friends more vigilant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatives — even with masks — are right to be cautious , said Mark Nichter , a professor of anthropology , public health and family medicine at the University of Arizona .
Gatherings of friends and family have been a common source of super-spreading events , and those with close ties may find it hard to keep a strict social distance .
“ Social distancing may be relaxed say around a dinner table or in a confined space where grandparents are with grandchildren who are not old enough to understand the rules , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Family members may be willing to take the risk if they think members have been reasonably careful outside.
” Fernanda Amaral was so frightened of the coronavirus that she pulled her 11-year-old son Christopher out of school two days before the LAUSD officially closed classrooms in March .
But as the weeks wore on , new worries began to weigh on her .
Beginning this month , she has allowed him to return to small , socially distanced baseball practices in Ladera Park , tempering her maternal anxiety with his passion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my heart that he ’ s missing out on his last opportunity to play Little League , ” Amaral said , her voice heavy with tears .
“ It worries me to put him out there and I don ’ t want to expose him to anything , but I don ’ t want him to miss out , either.
” Boxing instructor Minju Shin said more clients have been seeking him out in recent weeks , paying to spar with him in Pan Pacific Park in the Fairfax district .
“ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were really , really scared , ” he said .
“ But now they ’ re less scared.
” Shin ’ s clients have expressed their frustration with staying at home , and he ’ s happy to provide them a healthy outlet .
He carefully sanitizes his and his clients ’ gear before and after each workout .
He also spars far from others who may be using the park .
“ I feel like I ’ ve got ta risk it , ” he said of taking on new work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are beginning to break quarantine in modest ways , said Ted Robles , a social psychologist at UCLA .
Humans are social creatures , and it ’ s incredibly difficult to sustain months of isolation .
“ We look to others to give us a sense of what to do , ” he said .
“ The more people you see out and about , the more you think it ’ s OK. ” It ’ s also human nature to consider the costs and benefits of every action , whether consciously or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hard for people to see and appreciate the benefits of social distancing , because their lives do not improve because of it — they simply remain virus-free .
But the costs of isolation , such as not being able to earn money and mounting loneliness , continue to build .
And people are reaching their limits .
This is especially true for those living by themselves .
Shannon de Zeeuw , a freelance producer , has been quarantining alone in her Echo Park apartment .
She hadn ’ t set foot in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and went outside only to walk her dog .
The 34-year-old is infuriated by people who run around her neighborhood without masks .
De Zeeuw is grateful for her health and being able to pay her bills .
But she ’ s also endured intense bouts of loneliness , boredom and depression .
It got to the point where she really just needed to see a friend .
So two weeks ago , de Zeeuw drove to her best friend ’ s place in Venice .
They sat in the backyard for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life had taken since they last met .
“ I feel that in person , it ’ s easier for friends talk about the other stuff besides quarantine , like the job that drained you before this , or the girl that broke your heart , ” she said .
De Zeeuw has since hosted friends — one at a time , and only those who have been strictly quarantining — in her own backyard .
She ’ s also met people in nearby Elysian Park .
Doing so feels safer to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where hundreds of people she doesn ’ t know have touched and meandered .
Still , she sometimes feels guilty for relaxing some restrictions .
“ I ’ m like , maybe I shouldn ’ t be doing this , ” she said .
“ But I ’ m also learning how to live this way , ” she said .
“ My mental health is as important to me as my physical health.
” For McLean , the Mount Washington potter , her five-person Mother ’ s Day party was a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ozzie , gleefully bounded up to her guests , not knowing that he could possibly be a means to transmit a deadly virus .
And one of her friends left her designated area and got a little too close .
McLean playfully admonished her friend for the pandemic party faux pas .
“ You sit in your spot , ” she said , “ and you stay in your spot .
”

For nearly two months, Sara McLean and her family took all the pandemic precautions.
The potter and her husband pulled their 6- and 12-year-olds out of school a few days before LAUSD canceled in-person instruction on March 16. They stocked up on gloves, masks and food. And they didn’t leave the house, save for twice-monthly grocery trips.
But in late April, McLean began to consider how, for the sake of her sanity, she might safely bend the quarantine restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. She started by inviting a friend over to her sprawling backyard in Mount Washington. They sipped drinks — BYOB, of course — in cushioned chairs positioned many feet apart.
Advertisement
Feeling heartened by that experience, McLean decided to host a Mother’s Day party in her backyard. She invited nine women, and five showed up. Each guest had a designated spot on the patio. McLean wiped down any surface her friends might have touched after they left.
“I’ve already set up the premise in my mind that we’re not going back to normal any time soon,” said McLean, 45. “So I’ve been asking myself, how can we change our lives so we can still safely do things that were important to us before the pandemic?”
Science & Medicine Sign up for our free Coronavirus Today newsletter We’ll bring you the latest news, our best stories and what they mean for you — plus answer your burning COVID-19 questions.
Health officials remain unequivocal: All gatherings should be avoided, and public health orders will “with all certainty” be extended through the end of July.
But as California experiences its ninth week of quarantine, many Angelenos who have strictly followed stay-at-home orders have reached a breaking point. Exhausted and depressed by solitude and an endless procession of Zoom meetings, they have begun to loosen up their personal boundaries as they attempt to balance safety and mental health.
“We were really cautious,” said Gaby Cutini, who met up with close friends Charlotte Cooper and Abby Hercules in Santa Monica’s Ocean View Park on Wednesday to share a cake for Hercules’ birthday. “Because we could each trace where each other had been and we knew we hadn’t broken quarantine, we knew we were safe socializing.”
Among this conscientious crowd, these first meet-ups after weeks of isolation have elicited a complicated mix of emotions, such as joy and guilt. But mostly, the meted-out in-person connection has offered profound relief.
Advertisement
People enjoy a day at Ocean View Park in Santa Monica. Many who have been social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic are starting to bend the rules — seeing friends and family in parks or even in homes. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
And though they don’t condone them, health officials acknowledged such meetings will only grow more common in the weeks to come.
“While we are not recommending you have dinners with your friends ... we understand that there may be circumstances where there are other people near you who you know,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Friday. “In those circumstances, please keep your distance and keep your face coverings on.”
Kayla Salisbury, an art teacher at Century Community Charter School in Inglewood, was among those testing the waters. After weeks of rarely leaving her South L.A. home, she and her fiance gathered a small group of friends for a yoga class near the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at Kenneth Hahn State Park to celebrate her 27th birthday.
“We were all yearning for it,” she said of the crew, who flowed through their vinyasas with masks on and mats spread six feet apart. “And that’s something we spoke about when we prayed after, just being grateful and how wonderful it felt to be outside and get some air.”
Anthony Cherro of Los Angeles relaxes in La Cienega Park. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Although the park was busier than she had expected, almost everyone wore a mask and people kept a respectful distance from one another, Salisbury said. She said knowing that the death rate had been far higher among black Angelenos like them made her and her friends more vigilant.
Those who visit close friends and relatives — even with masks — are right to be cautious, said Mark Nichter, a professor of anthropology, public health and family medicine at the University of Arizona. Gatherings of friends and family have been a common source of super-spreading events, and those with close ties may find it hard to keep a strict social distance.
“Social distancing may be relaxed say around a dinner table or in a confined space where grandparents are with grandchildren who are not old enough to understand the rules,” Nichter wrote in an email. “Family members may be willing to take the risk if they think members have been reasonably careful outside.”
Fernanda Amaral was so frightened of the coronavirus that she pulled her 11-year-old son Christopher out of school two days before the LAUSD officially closed classrooms in March.
But as the weeks wore on, new worries began to weigh on her. Beginning this month, she has allowed him to return to small, socially distanced baseball practices in Ladera Park, tempering her maternal anxiety with his passion for the sport.
“It just breaks my heart that he’s missing out on his last opportunity to play Little League,” Amaral said, her voice heavy with tears. “It worries me to put him out there and I don’t want to expose him to anything, but I don’t want him to miss out, either.”
Boxing instructor Minju Shin said more clients have been seeking him out in recent weeks, paying to spar with him in Pan Pacific Park in the Fairfax district.
“When [the pandemic] started, people were really, really scared,” he said. “But now they’re less scared.”
Shin’s clients have expressed their frustration with staying at home, and he’s happy to provide them a healthy outlet. He carefully sanitizes his and his clients’ gear before and after each workout. He also spars far from others who may be using the park.
“I feel like I’ve gotta risk it,” he said of taking on new work.
It makes sense that otherwise conscientious people are beginning to break quarantine in modest ways, said Ted Robles, a social psychologist at UCLA. Humans are social creatures, and it’s incredibly difficult to sustain months of isolation.
“We look to others to give us a sense of what to do,” he said. “The more people you see out and about, the more you think it’s OK.”
It’s also human nature to consider the costs and benefits of every action, whether consciously or unconsciously, Robles said. It’s hard for people to see and appreciate the benefits of social distancing, because their lives do not improve because of it — they simply remain virus-free.
But the costs of isolation, such as not being able to earn money and mounting loneliness, continue to build. And people are reaching their limits.
This is especially true for those living by themselves.
Shannon de Zeeuw, a freelance producer, has been quarantining alone in her Echo Park apartment. She hadn’t set foot in a grocery store in over a month and went outside only to walk her dog. The 34-year-old is infuriated by people who run around her neighborhood without masks.
De Zeeuw is grateful for her health and being able to pay her bills. But she’s also endured intense bouts of loneliness, boredom and depression. It got to the point where she really just needed to see a friend.
So two weeks ago, de Zeeuw drove to her best friend’s place in Venice. They sat in the backyard for an hour and talked about the strange turns life had taken since they last met.
“I feel that in person, it’s easier for friends talk about the other stuff besides quarantine, like the job that drained you before this, or the girl that broke your heart,” she said.
De Zeeuw has since hosted friends — one at a time, and only those who have been strictly quarantining — in her own backyard. She’s also met people in nearby Elysian Park. Doing so feels safer to her than going to the grocery store, where hundreds of people she doesn’t know have touched and meandered.
Still, she sometimes feels guilty for relaxing some restrictions. “I’m like, maybe I shouldn’t be doing this,” she said.
“But I’m also learning how to live this way,” she said. “My mental health is as important to me as my physical health.”
For McLean, the Mount Washington potter, her five-person Mother’s Day party was a “dry run.” Her Chihuahua-Dachshund pup, Ozzie, gleefully bounded up to her guests, not knowing that he could possibly be a means to transmit a deadly virus. And one of her friends left her designated area and got a little too close.
McLean playfully admonished her friend for the pandemic party faux pas.
“You sit in your spot,” she said, “and you stay in your spot.”
Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.