Los Angeles County announced further restrictions to the current safer-at-home Health Officer order, as the five-day average for new COVID-19 cases surpassed the Public Health-set threshold of 4,500.

Starting Monday, November 30, until Sunday, December 20, all public and private gatherings with people outside of their own household will be prohibited, and occupancy limits have been modified for businesses and different public sectors.

“As new COVID-19 cases remain at alarming levels and the number of people hospitalized continue to increase, a temporary Los Angeles County Health Officer Order will be issued to require additional safety measures across sectors,” L.A. County Public Health said in a press release. “On November 17, Los Angeles County established thresholds for additional actions if the five-day average of cases is 4,500 or more or hospitalizations are more than 2,000 per day. A new Health Officer Order would be issued for three weeks that offered additional safety modifications while allowing essential and emergency workers and those securing or providing essential and permitted services to leave their homes.”

Under the new order regulations, essential retail locations will have to operate at 35% of its maximum capacity, while non-essential retail’s capacity will be capped at 20%.  Personal care services and libraries will also be asked to operate at 20% capacity.

Outdoor fitness centers, museums, galleries, zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will have to operate at 50% capacity, as well as recreational activities such as mini golfing, batting cages and go-kart racing.

Cardrooms and non-school playgrounds are the only non-essential sectors that will be completely closed.

Beaches, trails and parks will remain open, but occupants must remain with those within their own household.

The gathering restriction will not apply to church services or protests as Public Health stated those activities are both protected under the constitution.

The county saw 24 new deaths and 4,544 new cases of COVID-19, Friday and the five-day average of new cases is 4,751 and a positivity rate of 10%. There are also 1,893 people currently hospitalized with the virus, with 24% of those people in ICU.

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