Guidelines For Next Phase Of Reopening Coming This Week, LA County Leaders Say

Los Angeles County's coronavirus task force delivered its daily update on the COVID-19 pandemic. Read highlights below or watch the full video above.

Los Angeles County leaders said on Monday they are “actively reviewing” new guidelines from the state on how to begin the next phase of reopening.

That includes guidance on "schools, day camps, museums, camping, and spectator-free events," said County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Between now and Friday, county officials will announce which sectors can reopen and provide specific health protocols they’ll need to follow, she said.

Barger also said that unemployment claims dropped 17.8% last week compared to the prior week, which she said "shows steady improvement to support workers across the county."

PROTESTS IN THE PANDEMIC

County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer took a moment Monday to acknowledge the layers of historic moments the U.S. is in right now, including the "fight to racism."

But she also reminded the public that the virus is still out there and can easily spread in mass gatherings such as the local protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

Asked about the risk of infection for the thousands of L.A. County residents who have taken part in demonstrations over the past several weeks, Ferrer said

"being part of a protest is really no different than having an exposure at an indoor mall or even at a restaurant or at the beach in all of the sites."She offered this advice:

Dr. Christina Ghaly, who oversees the county's Department of Health Services, noted that all drive-through testing sites in the county were fully switching to nasal swabs to test for COVID-19, rather than oral swabs that have been used.

That comes after recent studies showing nasal swabs produce more accurate results, she said.

BY THE NUMBERS

County officials reported 823 new confirmed cases of coronavirus today, bringing the total to at least 64,644 cases countywide. In total, 2,227 cases have been reported in Long Beach and 987 in Pasadena. (Those two cities operate their own health departments.)

Ferrer also reported 10 new deaths of COVID-19 patients. The total number of deaths countywide now stands at 2,655.

So far, 93% of those who have died had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said. She also noted that a lag in death and case reporting typically leads to smaller counts on Mondays.

The death toll at institutional facilities in L.A. County continues to climb. Ferrer reported that 1,432 residents at those facilities have died, and nearly 90% lived in nursing homes.

There are now 6,031 cases among health care workers and first responders, Ferrer reported, and 41 health care workers have reportedly died from the virus.

Ferrer also provided a racial breakdown of the confirmed deaths, based on information confirmed for 2,463 of the victims:

• 41% Latino / Latina [48.6% of county residents]
• 12% African American [9% of county residents]
• 18% Asian [15.4% of county residents]
• 28% White [26.1% of county residents]
• Less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander [0.4% of county residents]
• 1% identified as belonging to another race or ethnicity

Here's a look at longer-term trends in the county. To see more visit our California COVID-19 Tracker and choose L.A. County or any other California county that interests you. These numbers are current as of Sunday, June 7. And looked like this:

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