Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) on Friday described the Chinese coronavirus as the “greatest threat to life in Los Angeles that we have ever faced” — a description that follows his urge for residents to “cancel everything.”
“So often in this crisis, it can be so confusing. Orders come down from the state, from our county. We’re not sure what they mean when they come into effect,” Garcetti said as he attempted to clarify the layers of restrictions.
“Oftentimes, with no notice, our life just changes like that, what we can and can’t do, what we’re supposed and not supposed to do,” he continued. “And so each of these evening briefings I try to give you the hard truths, but also explain what’s going on.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has divided the state into three regions, while local governments, such as cities and counties, implement their own restrictions. Garcetti explained that the best thing to do in the face of the confusion stemming from the layers of restrictions is to “just be smart and stay apart.”
“This is the greatest threat to life in Los Angeles that we have ever faced,” the Democrat mayor said.
“The simple truth is that we know that COVID-19 rapidly spreads and rapidly spreads as a result of our own behavior, but we also know that we can slow that spread by wearing a mask, by washing our hands,” he added.
Los Angeles County announced a three-week stay-at-home order the day after Thanksgiving, which prohibits residents from gathering with people outside of their own households:
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has also advised residents to “stay at home and not travel” this holiday season.
“Encourage your family and friends to stay connected virtually and delay meeting in person until we are at a better place in the pandemic,” Ferrer said. “Collectively, we have a chance to slow the spread and save lives.”
Garcetti has come under fire in recent days for failing to require the film industry to abide by his restrictions while small businesses remain shuttered.
As Breitbart News reported:
In a video that went viral on Friday, and which was confirmed by Breitbart News, Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill owner Angela Marsden showed that a TV production has set up outdoor dining tents apparently for cast and crew just a short walk from her restaurant, which is struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
Marsden singled out Gov. Newsom and Mayor Garcetti, both Democrats, accusing them of hypocrisy for giving Hollywood productions priority over restaurants.
“I’m losing everything. Everything I own is being taken away from me. And they set up a movie company right next to my outdoor patio. And people wonder why I’m protesting and why I have had enough,” Marsden said in the video
Los Angeles County reported 449,971 cumulative cases of the novel virus as of Sunday evening, adding 9,929 cases on Sunday alone. The county also reported 7,909 related deaths, putting the mortality rate under two percent.