As Garcetti addressed the city on Wednesday, he said the city is at very high risk of reverting back to stay-at-home orders within the next couple of weeks.

Both the state of California and city of Los Angeles have used 14-day increments of COVID-19 data to decide how to approach safety measures. Garcetti has said the results within the next two weeks could decide if the stay-at-home orders return.

As of Wednesday, there were 2,004 hospitalizations in Los Angeles, marking the highest number since the start of the pandemic. 

While hospitalizations are at their highest, Garcetti said the suppy of ventilators “remains robust,” citing help from the test treatment Remdesivir, which has shown to quicken the recovery time in COVID-19 patients. 

The mayor attributed the rise in COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations to increased social gatherings and group activities, specifically in younger groups. 

“More than 50 percent of those who are testing positive in Los Angeles County are between 18 and 49 years old,” Garcetti said. “… To young Angelenos and Angelenos under 40, I say please do your part, for all of us.”

 Public Health director Barbara Ferrer told Fox 11 that she hopes those stay-at-home orders don’t come back and that “we’ll be more sensible about what we’re doing.”

“People have to go to work. Our work places have to be safe,” Ferrer said. “… We don’t have to be in crowds, we don’t have to have a party.”

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