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“Masks are mandatory” are the words going into effect for Los Angeles residents.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a movie star, a politician, or a blue-collar worker. If you live in Los Angeles, you’d better cover-up.
Order Takes Effect Midnight
Starting at 12:01 a.m. Friday, the worker protection order takes effect.
Customers entering locations like grocery stores, pharmacies, hotels, taxis, and ride-hailing vehicles will be required to wear a cloth mask. Businesses can refuse service to any resident who doesn’t comply with the mandate.
I’m executing a Worker Protection Order: starting Friday, April 10th, employees & customers at many non-medical essential businesses such as grocery stores will be required to wear face coverings to take care of those who are taking care of us. More info: https://t.co/lbT15nJO5z
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) April 8, 2020
Millions of Residents Impacted
The mayor said on Tuesday that all 4 million residents who are performing essential tasks such as food shopping should wear homemade, non-medical face coverings, or even bandannas, as people in other COVID-19-struck countries have done.
“To be clear, you should still stay at home. This isn’t an excuse to suddenly all go out,” Garcetti said.
He also said people shouldn’t use medical-grade masks, which are in short supply and are needed by health care workers and first responders.
Garcetti’s announcement came after Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser urged last week that people who need to go out in public should use something — even bandanas or neck warmers — to cover their mouths and noses to protect others and themselves.
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L.A. Won’t Allow In-person Home Showings
Real estate agents can no longer show homes in person in the city of Los Angeles, leaving determined buyers to submit offers sight unseen, while others suspend their searches.
Under a revised “safer-at-home” order issued last week by Mayor Eric Garcetti, real estate transactions are considered “essential.” Buyers can still buy, and sellers can still sell. But open houses are prohibited—and shoppers can no longer venture inside the homes they want to buy.
GV Wire asked the California Association of Realtors if other communities were considering this. The only response we got was a running list the group put together of communities throughout the state and how each is handling home sales differently.
Fresno County has no new requirements for real estate agents or sellers.
City of Fresno Communications Director Mark Standriff told GV Wire by email: “We’re discussing a number of options, but that hasn’t come up as a possible restriction yet.”
DC Mayor: All Shoppers at Grocery Stores Must Wear Masks
“The Hill” is reporting Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) is now directing all grocery stores and food markets in the city to require customers to wear face masks before entering.
The order, which Bowser released on Twitter on Wednesday night and discussed during a news conference Thursday, also requires all farmers’ markets in the city, including the D.C. seafood market, to apply for waivers in order to continue operations. Those waivers will only be granted to markets that provide plans for enforcing social distancing guidelines.
1/ Today, to protect the District’s food supply chain and the District’s frontline food workers during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, I issued Mayor’s Order 2020-058.
The Order states that no farmers’ market may operate unless issued a waiver. pic.twitter.com/9EBkqSVT1l
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) April 8, 2020
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)