Los Angeles County officials said on Tuesday that stay at-home-orders will likely continue through July, adding that easing restrictions will come very slowly.
Los Angeles County health officials said it will extend orders past May 15. Although the stay at home order will likely be extended, some aspects of the order are being eased.
“Our hope is that by using the data, we’d be able to slowly lift restrictions over the next three months,” county health director Barbara Ferrer told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the county had 1,570 coronavirus-related deaths. Compared to other major metropolitan areas, Los Angeles has seen a relatively smaller death count. Cook County, Illinois, which has roughly half of Los Angeles County’s population, has had 2,361 fatalities. New York City, which is roughly 90% of the population of L.A. County, has had more than 15,000 deaths, and an additional 5,000 suspected fatalities.
While the lower death tolls are certainly a positive for the county, it also likely means that fewer of its residents have coronavirus antibodies.
Although residents in L.A. County are encouraged to remain at home, beaches are reopening. Retailers can also open this week with curbside service. Restaurants, libraries, indoor malls and shopping centers, and indoor recreation centers remain closed in L.A. County.