Photo credit: Getty / Sarah Morris
With the news of the coronavirus pandemic spreading quicker than the actual virus, the world is beginning to feel as though it is at a standstill. With Donald Trump declaring a national emergency, and imposing a travel ban, residents in the states are more than just a little worried about how this worldwide crisis will play out.
Los Angeles in particular, is taking safety precautions due to the cases that have been discovered in the city. Mayor of LA, Eric Garcetti is taking matters seriously, for just last night he declared that all restaurants, bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues, and gyms be closed until at least March 31st. According to the LA Times, there have been 54 cases of the corona virus in the City of Angels, and rising for this number does not reflect all the cases that have not been reported.
The CDC, also known as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also recommends for the masses to avoid being in areas of 50 or more people. While restaurants are being prohibited to have any customers dine-in, their to-go options are still thriving! Companies like GrubHub, Postmates and companies of the like are even asking more people to join their delivery service app because the demand for take-out is so high! Although many places will remain closed grocery stores, pharmacies and food banks will remain open in Los Angeles.
At midnight on March 16th, Eric Garcetti stated, “Our decisions will determine the fate of loved ones. Our decisions and actions will determine the length of this crisis, the damage done to our economy and ultimately how quickly we will get back up on our feet.” Officials and community leaders are currently taking all safety precautions possible in order to prioritize everyone’s safety.
In addition to businesses, schools have since shut down including the schools in the LA Unified School District. As of now, classes are set to resume in April. Following the classroom schedule, school sports will take a halt until further notice, and school events have completely been postponed. Because students and families will be affected by these changes, “Glendale Unified is in the process of applying for waivers to the federal government that would allow students to pick up meals from schools, which would address a number of students that rely on school nutrition.” Many schools are opening resources centers to not only supply children with breakfast and lunch, but even dinner in some areas, which could serve great assistance to families in need. Mayor Garcetti even instructed civilians to refrain from hoarding food and any survival essentials. Hoarding food could put others in danger so food storage is coming soon as city officials are working diligently with food markets to restock.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
