Coronavirus May Cancel LA Sports, Concerts Until 2021: Garcetti

LOS ANGELES, CA — Large events, including sports, could remain banned in Los Angeles until 2021 due to the ongoing threat posed by the new coronavirus, Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a CNN interview Wednesday.

"It's difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands any time soon, so I think we should all be prepared for that this year," Garcetti told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

"I think we all have never wanted science to work so quickly, but until there's either a vaccine, some sort of pharmaceutical intervention or herd immunity, the science is the science," he said. "But I can hope we can perhaps watch sporting events without audiences on TV ... listen to concerts as we've been doing."

Garcetti's comments echo those made by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Tuesday that mass gatherings are likely to remain banned in California until a vaccine is developed and the state reaches herd immunity — a development that won't come for at least 18 months, experts have said.

Garcetti said the matter was discussed Monday at a weekly staff briefing, confirming a report earlier Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times. According to a meeting transcript, "large gatherings such as concerts and sporting events may not be approved in the city for at least 1 year," the Times reports.

Los Angeles and the state of California have seen significant progress in the fight against the coronavirus. Newsom said Tuesday that state residents have successfully "bent the curve" of the virus and averted a disastrous spike in COVID-19 cases that threatened to overwhelm the state's health care system.

Still, life after the crisis will look much different than before. Restaurants will reopen but may have temperature checks at the door, along with fewer tables inside. Face masks will likely remain common in public settings, and, most significantly, the state may need to reintroduce strict containment measures as long as the virus remains present, Newsom said.

Garcetti said he has not developed a timeline for when large events will be allowed again in Los Angeles. But the mayor is considering reopening the economy in stages by phasing in businesses over a course of six to 10 months, according to the Times.

Statewide, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have grown modestly in recent days, and intensive care unit admissions slightly declined Tuesday, Newsom said. Still, the overall number of cases continues to grow steadily, and health experts have warned repeatedly that easing up on social distancing could cause a dramatic resurgence in cases.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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