Stay-Home Order Unlikely To Be Lifted As Coronavirus Ravages LA

LOS ANGELES, CA — Following a holiday weekend where Los Angeles County recorded about 30,000 new coronavirus cases in two days, Gov. Gavin Newsom seems unlikely to lift the regional stay-at-home order set to expire Monday across Southern California.

Across the region, intensive- care unit capacity is officially considered to be zero, and the Governor has said the order will almost assuredly be extended under such conditions. As of Sunday in Los Angeles County, there were 6,815 people currently hospitalized with COVID- 19, and 20% of them are in the ICU.

"We are likely, I think it's pretty self-evident, going to need to extend those regional dates," Newsom said. "... Based upon all the data and based upon all these trend lines, it is very likely based on those current trends that we'll need to extend that stay at home order, (which) you recall was a three-week order when we announced it."

The regional stay-at-home order for the 11-county Southern California region took effect at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 6, and was originally set to end on Dec. 28.

Across Los Angeles County to date, there have been 719,833 positive cases and 9,482 deaths — and those deaths are an undercount due to holiday and weekend reporting delays, Public Health stated.

More than 4.6 million people in the county have been tested for the coronavirus and 15% of them have tested positive, according to the department. The seven-day daily positivity rate is currently 17.5%.

"In order for us to stop the surge, L.A. County residents will need to use the tools at hand to slow community transmission and reduce the number of infected people," according to a statement by the county health department.

"The strategies that work remain the same: no gatherings/events with others outside of your immediate household, always and correctly wear face coverings/masks when around others, and always maintain your physical distance from others who are not from your household. During this surge, everyone should also stay at home except to provide or receive essential services, avoid all nonessential travel, get tested if you have symptoms or an exposure, and isolate immediately from your family and others if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.

"If we take these actions, we will save lives," the statement said.

The Southern California region covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Most broadly, the order bars gatherings of people from different households.

Under the order, the following businesses/recreational facilities were forced to close:

-- indoor recreational facilities;

-- hair salons and barbershops;

-- personal care services;

-- museums, zoos, and aquariums;

-- movie theaters;

-- wineries;

-- bars, breweries and distilleries;

-- family entertainment centers;

-- cardrooms and satellite wagering;

-- limited services;

-- live audience sports; and

-- amusement parks.

Schools with waivers can remain open, along with "critical infrastructure" and retail stores, which will be limited to 20% of capacity. Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Hotels are allowed to open "for critical infrastructure support only," while churches would be restricted to outdoor only services. Entertainment production -- including professional sports -- would be allowed to continue without live audiences.

Four of the five regions carved out by the state are under stay-at- home orders, covering 98% of the state's population. Only far northern California is not under a stay-at-home order.

The order was triggered in each area when the region's ICU bed availability dropped below 15%. In some counties, the official ICU bed availability of 0%. That percentage does not mean that there aren't any ICU beds available, since the state adjusts the number based on the ratio of COVID- 19 patients being housed in the units.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.