Social Protests influence L.A. Board of Supervisors to focus on Black and Brown Communities impacted by COVID-19.
Los Angeles Public Officials shared latest news surrounding the process of the city’s recovery and movements towards social equality. key economic sectors such as museums, day camps, and fitness centers are looking to open by June 12. The health order is looking to be modified on Thursday, June 11 to review plans from listed sectors, and confirm they are aligned with the social distancing platform set by the public health department and the state. Although Los Angeles is moving forward in reopening, county officials stressed the threat of COVID-19 is still present and everyone should remain cautious of their surroundings.
This will be the most “comprehensive” reopening since the Safer at Home Policy was put in place back in March. Thursday, June 11, public officials will deliberate Safer at Work guidelines in order to open a breath of different sectors by June 12. The firms looking to open includes: gyms, fitness facilities, professional sports ( without audiences), day camps, Museums, galleries, zoos, aquariums, campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor recreation, music, film, and television production, hotels and short-term rentals for tourism and individual travel.
Los Angeles is considered to be in ‘Phase 3’ of the State’s Resilience Roadmap, the county stressed the importance of the continued practice of physical distancing, wearing a mask, and following all “public health directives.” According to the press release from the L.A. Emergency Operations Center, “If at any time, the County’s rate of infection and other key metrics demonstrate a rapid acceleration of new cases that threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system, the Department of Public Health and the Board of Supervisors may need to limit future re-openings or close reopened sectors.”
Within the new openings of business, there are new protocols that will change the experience for everyone. There are strict “infection control directives” Everyone from the staff to the guests will be expected to follow. Anyone that plans to go to the recently opened firms will be screened for symptoms, staff and guests must wear masks throughout the period of being there, equipment must be clean before and after each use, and certain places that cause a higher chances of infection will be blocked off.
Facilities that remain closed include nail salons, tattoo shops, bars and wineries, movie theaters, entertainment centers, concert halls, venues, stadiums, arenas, gaming facilities, theme parks and festivals. Los Angeles is under the Safer at Work and Community Order; public gatherings are still not permitted.
Wednesday, June 11, Los Angeles Director of Los Angeles Public Health Dr. Barbara Ferrer shared a report on the city’s spread of coronavirus. There is still highly encouraged practice of physical distancing, wearing a mask, and Hand sanitation. Statistics show people are still contracting the virus, and the overall community death rate is still in the double digits.
latest numbers surrounding coronavirus shared on June 11, reflected 61 additional deaths, 42 of these individuals were between the ages of 65 and over, 37 of them with underlining health conditions. 13 people who died were between the ages of 41-65, nine victims had preexisting health concerns. Three individuals were below the age of 40, all of them had underlining medical conditions, this brings the total COVID-19 related deaths in the L.A. County to 2,768.
The relationship between COVID-19 infection and ethnicity were provided. The racial background collected from 2,569 fatal cases shown 12% were African American, 17% were Asian, 1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 41% were LatinX, 28% were white, and 1% identified as a different race or ethnicity. 14% of all positive cases were hospitalized at some point. Fatal cases within congregational settings such as assistant living represent 52% of overall COVID-19 deaths. 93% of those who died due to COVID-19 had preexisting health concerns.
Ferrer disclosed on Wednesday, there were 1,275 new COVID-19 reports. In summary, there is a total amount of 67,064 coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles region. 2,396 incidents were reported in the city of Long Beach and 1,008 cases in the city of Pasadena. Amid the unsheltered, there were 476 positive cases, 206 victims were temporarily housed in a shelter and have been properly isolated. There have been two additional deaths among people who are experiencing homelessness due to COVID-19. There has been a total amount of 15 deaths among this population.
Amid a global pandemic, a level of awareness erupted within all nationalities, demanding attention to go towards the injustice within the Black Community. In light of the recent murder of George Floyd, an African American who suffocated under the knee of a policemen in Minneapolis, caused thousands to protest all over the world demanding change and the focus to be on the inequities found within the black culture. Supervisor Hilda Solis announced on Tuesday, alongside Supervisor Kuehl, motions were passed to bring deeper investigations to the impact of COVID-19 within black and brown communities. Solis stated, “We must face these racial disparities head on and prioritize the most impacted neighborhoods.”
