COVID-19: Palisadians Ordered to Wear Face Coverings

The Worker Protection Order, Requiring Employees and Customers Visiting Essential Businesses to Wear Face Coverings, Becomes Effective Friday, April 10

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

As safer at home orders across the city of Los Angeles extend into the fourth week, Mayor Eric Garcetti put a Worker Protection Order in place, requiring employees and customers to wear face coverings at many non-medical essential businesses, effective Friday, April 10.

The coverings, not required to be medical-grade masks or N95 respirators, can be bandanas, scarves, and other cloth or fabric.

“Employers are required to provide face coverings or reimburse employees for their cost, provide access to clean and sanitary restrooms on site, allow employees to wash their hands every 30 minutes, and implement physical social distancing measures for customers, visitors, and workers,” Garcetti wrote in a tweet.

The order includes employees who work at grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores and more, as well as customers who visit these businesses.

Garcetti also reported USC Iovine and Young Academy is using 3D printing technology to make prototypes for face shields and other protective equipment for health care workers.

“We’ll soon be matching hospitals in need of supplies with architecture and design firms and other companies with the capacity to 3D print PPE in bulk to respond to the COVID-19 crisis,” Garcetti wrote of the effort.

Public Health is also recommending residents skip grocery shopping and other tasks that are technically allowed but put them in a space with other people this week whenever possible.

“As we expect to see a significant increase in cases over the next few weeks, we are asking that everyone avoid leaving their homes for anything except the most urgent matters,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.

After temporarily suspending farmers markets on Monday, March 30, due to being “dangerously crowded,” Garcetti reported that physical distancing plans to keep communities safe have been reviewed. Though the Pacific Palisades Farmers Market remains closed due to LAUSD campus closures, 31 farmers markets have submitted plans for approval of safe operations—with 16 able to reopen as of Monday.

The county continues to provide free testing to residents with COVID-19 symptoms. Priority is given to those with underlying health challenges and those over the age of 65.

As of Monday, April 6, more than 21,000 tests had been administered at 12 testing locations.

There are 6,910 confirmed cases across the county with 169 deaths, Public Health reported as the Palisadian-Post went to print Tuesday. There were 30 confirmed cases in the Palisades.