Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti opened his daily briefing Tuesday recognizing what may have been the first teenage COVID-19 death in L.A. County and went on to announce actions against nonessential businesses that don't close and a new portal for recruiting medics.
He reminded young people that the virus can hit them too, urging them to stay at home and practice social distancing.
"Your behavior can save a life and take a life," Garcetti said. "And that life could be yours.”
The mayor went on to announce the "business ambassadors program" — an effort to get nonessential businesses to close.
“This behavior is irresponsible and selfish,” he said of those that remain open. He said the Department of Water and Power will shut off services for the businesses that don't comply with the "safer at home" ordinance.
The mayor had also announced that restaurants and bars could deliver alcoholic beverages, as a means of stimulating business.
Hmm...around here, the bars and many restaurants had to shut down. The pot shops and state liquor stores are allowed to remain open, though, as long as they allow no more then 10 customers in at a time. It's easy enough to see why that's not a problem; those folks usually trickle in at the local liquor store, and it's rare to see more than one or two vehicles in the local pot shop parking lots. Besides, the state makes a lot of money from sales that do occur at these locations.
In related news, if ironic:
The doctor who served as a medical adviser during the filming of the 2011 pandemic movie “Contagion” has announced he tested positive for coronavirus. Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, who assisted director Steve Soderbergh during the filming of the 2011 film, revealed the positive test during an interview on Fox News Tuesday night.
“If it can hit me, it can hit anybody. That’s the message I want to convey,” Lipkin told Fox’s David Asman.