The “Safer at Home” protective measures set forth by the County yesterday to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus went into effect immediately and include the closure of non-essential retail businesses. Shortly after, Governor Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order that went into effect at midnight.
The L.A. County emergency order states:
- Residents should remain at home.
- Do not gather in enclosed spaces with more than 10 people.
- Close all non-critical businesses (that can’t operate remotely) until further notice.
In order to be in compliance with the protection order, follow the highest level of restriction in the jurisdiction you reside in. Violations of either the city or county order can be enforced as a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and imprisonment.
“I want to be clear about this,” said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti during the announcement, “that the only time you should leave your home is for essential activities and needs — to get food, care for a relative or a friend or child, get necessary health care”.
The following is a list of businesses allowed to operate during “Safer at Home” order in effect until April 17th:
- Grocery stores, certified farmers markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, pet supply, water, fresh meats, fish and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning or personal care products). This includes stores that sell groceries and sell other non-grocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences;
- Food cultivation, including farming, livestock and fishing;
- Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals;
- Newspapers, television, radio, magazine, podcast and other media services;
- Gas stations, and auto-supply, auto-repair, car dealerships and related facilities;
- Banks, credit unions and related financial institutions;
- Hardware stores, nurseries; building supplies;
- Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, vegetation services, tree maintenance, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and other service providers who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation to properties and other essential businesses;
- Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes;
- Educational institutions (including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities) for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions, provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintaining to the greatest extent possible;
- Laundromats, dry cleaners, laundry service providers, personal grooming services;
- Restaurants and other food facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery, drive-thru or carryout;
- Businesses that supply office or computer products needed by people who work from home;
- Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate;
- Businesses that ship, truck, provide logistical support or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences, essential businesses, healthcare operations, essential infrastructure;
- Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers offering transportation services necessary for activities of daily living and other purposes expressly authorized in this order;
- Businesses that provide parts and service for essential infrastructure;
- Home-based care for seniors, adults, disabled persons or children;
- Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, disabled persons and children;
- Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities, and the permitting, inspection, construction, transfer and recording of ownership, of housing and anything incidental thereto;
- Military/defense contractors/federally funded research and development centers. For purposes of this order, essential personnel may leave their residence to provide any service or perform any work deemed essential for national security including, but not limited to defense, intelligence and aerospace development and manufacturing for the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and NASA and other federal government, and or United States government departments and agencies. Essential personnel include prime, subprime and supplier contractor employees, at both the prime contract level and any supplier levels at any tier, working on federal United States government contracts such as contracts rated under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System and contracts for national intelligence and national security requirements;
- Child-care facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions: (1) Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day); (2) Children shall not change from one group to another; (3) If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other; (4) Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children.
- Hotels, motels, shared rental units and similar facilities.
In addition, Mayor Garcetti issued a moratorium on evictions, with Sheriff Alex Villanueva supporting the moratorium assuring the public his deputies will not enforce eviction orders during the Covid-19 crisis.
Sheriff Villanueva explains the “Safer-at-Home” implementation here;
The safety & security of all LA CO residents has always been my top priority. View my videotape message, explaining how LASD will respond to “Safer at Home” program implementation & enforcement measures. Together, we will get through these tough times. pic.twitter.com/u7BrxUSr9i
— Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) March 20, 2020
On March 18th, Mayor Garcetti announced a plan to bring 7000 homeless people indoors.
The White House just announced this morning that IRS payment deadline has been extended to July 15th.
The following is the order issued by L.A. County:
To prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, follow the guidelines set forth by the L.A. County Department of Health.
Additional local information will be available on Malibu Disaster Communications.
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