L.A. County Officials Urge Safety Against COVID-19 Amid Protests

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer and Supervisor Kathryn Barger warned crowded demonstrations happening in response to the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody could cause a spike in coronavirus cases.

On Monday, Ferrer said the county recorded 22 more deaths due to Coronavirus, raising the county’s total to 2,386. She also announced another 978 cases of the illness, with Pasadena accounting for six of the new cases, raising the county’s total to 56,017.

“Peaceful protests are so important, but I ask you all to look out for each other when coming together,” Ferrer said in a press conference Monday. “While you’re out with others, please wear cloth face coverings. As much as possible, please practice physical distancing, keeping six feet apart from everyone else.”

Ferrer warned these demonstrations could become “super-spreader events,” where a great deal of transmission of the COVID-19 virus could happen.

“We’ll need to work together to prevent these events from resulting in many more people becoming seriously ill from COVID-19,” Ferrer said. “Please care for and protect all of the people around you.”

In the same press conference, Barger noted that with the 14-day incubation period for the coronavirus, the impact of the demonstrations on the county’s current COVID-19 situation won’t be known for weeks.

“My biggest concern now is in two to three weeks, what is going to happen based on the conduct of individuals over the weekend,” Barger said. “And we don’t know. And we’re going to be watching very closely.”

Barger also discussed the disastrous impact of the weekend violence on county businesses, many of which were just beginning to reopen as health restrictions began to ease.

She said many of these businesses are being permitted to reopen as long as they meet COVID-19 guidelines, but many have also been ordered to close their doors as the county and individual cities imposed curfews in response to the protests.

Ferrer said people taking part in the protests should continue to take precautions against spreading the virus.

“We need to keep as much distance from each other when we’re out and about and we need to wear our face coverings, and that’s how we get through the pandemic,” she said.