In Los Angeles, the rule of mandatory wearing masks came into force: what you need to know

Starting Friday, April 10, by order of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles residents should wear a mask, bandana, or anything else covering their nose and mouth when they visit grocery stores and other important organizations. Employees of many enterprises must also cover their faces, reports The Angeles Times.

Photo: shutterstock

This is the latest attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. This is to protect employees and customers.

What about employees?

Workers at most important enterprises should wear protective masks, which business owners are required to either provide or refund the money spent on their purchase.

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If a business refuses to provide face masks for its employees, it may be fined, but there is hope that companies and customers will follow this order without a problem, Garcetti said.

What details?

The order does not require that the protective masks of customers or employees are medical or N95 masks. Local and state leaders continue to ask the public to refrain from buying these masks so that medical and emergency workers have enough protective equipment to carry out their work safely.

“All essential non-health care workers who are required to wear face coverings to protect themselves and others should wash any reusable face coverings frequently (at least once daily),” the order states. “Disposable masks should be thrown into trash cans.”

But Garcetti said that if residents see someone at the grocery store or in public wearing a N95 mask, they should not immediately think that this person is breaking the order.

“There are immunocompromised people who need to wear these masks,” the mayor explained.

What about other outdoor activities?

The order does not require people who play sports on the street to wear face masks, this applies more to those who are in public places and may not always be six feet from others.

“Our idea is not to arrest or fine people for not wearing face masks. If everyone decided to walk down the street tomorrow, we wouldn’t have enough law enforcement officers to stop everyone from walking,” Garcetti said. “Basically this ruling is about self-preservation.”

Who does the binding order apply to?

According to the order of the mayor, the order applies to:

- grocery stores, water retailers, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, convenience stores, warehouses, food banks, certified farmers' markets and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned goods, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet food and veterinary medications, fresh or frozen meat, fish and poultry, any other household consumer goods (such as construction materials, detergents and personal care products);

— organizations and businesses that provide food, social services and other essential items to economically disadvantaged or needy individuals (including domestic violence services);

— hardware and construction stores, labor centers and nurseries;

- Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, security/janitors, handyman services, funeral workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, day laborers, landscapers, gardeners, property managers and leasing agents, and private security guards;

- laundries, dry cleaners.

— restaurants and food outlets that prepare and offer food to customers, but only through a delivery service;

- individuals and legal entities who ship or supply food, drinks or goods directly to residential homes or businesses;

— taxis, ride-sharing services, car rental companies and other private transportation services;

- hotels, motels and general rentals.

What about other areas?

Federal and state officials are advised to wear face masks when leaving home.

At the weekend, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, a public health officer at Riverside County, urged residents to stay home, but if they have an important assignment or business, they should wear a face mask when leaving. He also stated that residents should not gather in groups.

According to representatives of the district, law enforcement agencies "as necessary" have the authority to monitor the implementation of these orders, which are valid until April 30.

But Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said the department would not create a “police state” in his district. They will also not stop vehicles or establish checkpoints for motorists, they will not stop residents while they are walking with their families. Sheriffs will also not stop or fine residents simply because they don’t wear masks, he said.

Bianco asked residents not to call 911 to report potential trespassers. This, he said, affects their ability to respond to "emergencies and critical challenges."

The neighboring district of San Bernardino also requires residents to wear masks.

What do experts say about face masks?

There is a belief that masks can help, but only in combination with other conditions. Experts say that face masks alone are not particularly effective in preventing infection. For example, they do not close their eyes, and a little saliva when coughing, which enters the eye, can cause infection.

Wearing a mask, but touching your face with unwashed, virus-infected hands, can also lead to infection. People often adjust masks because they are not comfortable.

But even if they do not provide full protection to the owner, they can protect others nearby.

Dr. Otto Yang, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, said wearing masks helped keep the virus under control in places like Singapore and Taiwan.

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The California Department of Health has the following recommendations for fabric masks:

• Face masks can be made of fabric, made at the factory or sewn by hand, improvised using bandanas, scarves, t-shirts, sweatshirts or towels.
• The material should cover the nose and mouth.
• Ideally, face masks should be washed after each use. Dirty masks should be placed in a special laundry bag or bin.
• Use detergent and hot water when washing fabric masks and dry them in a hot cycle.
• Make sure your mask is comfortable and you won’t be constantly adjusting it, because it means touching your face.
• Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer before and after touching your face or face mask.
• If you need to wear a fabric mask before you wash it, wash your hands immediately after putting on them and avoid touching your face.

• As reported by ForumDaily:

  • A new virus was discovered in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. In 2020, it covered all continents except Antarctica. On March 11, US President Donald Trump imposed a ban on entering the United States from EU countries. The ban came into force on Friday, March 13, and will last at least 30 days. In particular, it will concern people who have visited the Schengen area over the past 14 days.
  • March 13 Trump due to coronavirus introduced a nationwide emergency regime in the US.
  • On March 11, WHO recognized the situation with the coronavirus pandemic, which covered more than 110 countries. Symptoms of Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease Available here.
  • Virologist's tips on how to protect yourself from infection - here to register:.
  • Taking advantage of the panic in the society because of the epidemic, fraudsters came up with several schemes to deceive victims of personal data and money. The most common ones can be found here.
  • Having succumbed to panic due to a state of emergency, Americans are massively buying toilet paperbut they cannot explain why they need it during the epidemic.
  • Trump has signed into law on paid leave due to coronavirus. Who can count on paid leave, read here.
  • All Coronavirus News - at our special project.

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