As the coronavirus spreads rapidly and pushes hospitals to a crisis point, Los Angeles officials recommend more safety measures – to encourage some residents to wear masks in their homes.
LA County’s largest health official says the concern is the danger posed by vulnerable residents when people work with them outside the home or go shopping or perform other essential tasks.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the province’s health department, pleaded with the public on Monday to stay home as much as possible. When they leave the house to access essential services, she has to bring people’s disinfectant wipes to disinfect their cell phones, car keys, workstations and door handles – anything they touch, others touch.
Ferrer also issued a new recommendation: people living with elderly residents or with residents who have an underlying medical condition and need to leave their households should wear a mask at home.
“Because there is so much spread, we also recommend that people keep their face masks on while they are indoors,” Ferrer said. For anyone who works outside or is the person performing the essential tasks in the family, wearing a mask at home will “provide only a layer of protection as we get through the boom.”
People should also make sure that frequently touched surfaces are disinfected, utensils are not shared and, if possible, that bedrooms and bathrooms are not shared with the most vulnerable.
“This is the time to be extremely careful and very careful,” Ferrer said. “We can not ease our efforts yet – not now and not for the next few weeks. Every minute, an average of 10 people in LA County test positive for COVID-19. ”
The urgent warnings come amid a coronavirus boom after Christmas. Over the past week, an average of more than 200 Angelenos have died each day from COVID-19 – a rate that the province’s cumulative toll over 12,000.
Last week, health officials presented these safety recommendations:
• If you go to work or buy groceries, never remove your face mask when you are near others.
• Avoid eating or drinking with someone who is not in your household.
• Wash or disinfect your hands every hour when you are close to others.
• Take a break from shopping.
• Do not go to any meetings with people outside your household.
• Exercise by yourself or only with others from your household.
Last week, the state also urged Californians to avoid traveling anywhere more than 120 miles from their homes unless it is necessary.
Travelers from other states or states are also “strongly discouraged” from coming to California, except for essential purposes.
The state defines essential journeys as’ related to the operation, maintenance or use of critical infrastructure or otherwise required or expressly authorized by law … including work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care and safety and security. ”