Garcetti Made Wearing Face Masks Mandatory In LA Today And People On The Internet Are Angry

A new order from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti requires Angelenos to wear masks or "face coverings" whenever they leave home, in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading.

We assume "face coverings" refers to bandanas, scarves, headbands or other alternatives for the mask-deprived.

What about L.A. County, you ask? In her daily coronavirus briefing this afternoon, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer says the county health order is clear:

"Masks are in fact mandatory across the entire county when you're outside of your home, not with members of your household, and in any kind of contact with other people. The reason you wear a cloth face covering is so that you can protect other people from your respiratory droplets."

If no one is around, we suggest keep a face covering in your pocket, in case other humans appear (and runners,

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put it on when passing). Like Ferrer says, the idea is to stop droplets with the virus from getting out, not in.

We've heard from hundreds of people who just remain flat-out confused about what is required and why.

We talked to Dr. Peter Chin-Hong earlier this week about the science of how viruses spread after L.A. beaches reopened with social distancing and face covering requirements in place. Chin-Hong, who specializes in the spread of infectious disease at UC San Francisco, said most viruses spread no more than three-feet, on average, via airborne droplets from the nose and mouth. That said, he noted there's still a lot we don't know about COVID-19.

The six-foot rule for social distancing includes three extra feet, as a buffer zone for added safety. He said the guidance comes from research showing droplets are heavy and tend to fall to the ground within that three-foot range.

Garcetti's order, which seems to say masks are required at all times outside your own home, caused quite a stir, based on the comments on the Mayor of L.A. Facebook page. In a twist no one expected, people on the internet are mad.

Please enjoy a curated selection of the 2,800 comments (and counting):

Rebecca Heinemann: "What are you thinking! I am so mad! I pay WAYYY to much in taxes to be told what to do when I walk out in my neighborhood. DEMS have gone too far. You will never ever get my vote again."
Doris Tenney Panza: "I will wear one when i am near others, otherwise NOT."
Brandon Becker: "I can literally feel my brain cells dying with each comment I read. I am physically ill from the trash fire that is this comment section. I will have nightmares about this sham of a discussion until the day I die. I would rather chug a gallon of hand sanitizer and give myself a Lysol enema than read this disgrace of a community forum once more."

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Garcetti Made Wearing Face Masks Mandatory In LA Today And People On The Internet Are Angry