Anyone Who Gathered To Celebrate Dodgers Win Should Quarantine, LA County Health Officials Say
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Thinking about going out to celebrate the Dodgers' big win? L.A. County health officials are urging anyone who gathers with others to quarantine, monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested.
Echoing a similar warning she issued after the Lakers won the NBA title, Dr. Barbara Ferrer reminded residents that being in close contact with people who are shouting and not wearing masks will raise the risk of spreading and contracting coronavirus.
"As a reminder, people who have been part of celebratory crowds, where they have been in close contact with others, not wearing face coverings and not distancing may have been exposed to COVID-19,'' Ferrer said. "And they should all take the following precautions for the next 14 days: remain apart from others as much as possible, get tested and monitor yourself for symptoms of illness.
"If you know that you were in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, please quarantine for the full 14 days, even if you have a negative test result,'' she said.
Those who have gathered to watch the games at restaurants or bars are also asked to be cautious. Ferrer said even just going to a restaurant -- even in an outdoor setting -- to dine can increase the risk of becoming ill.
"This makes sense because when people go to restaurants and bars, they often spend a prolonged period of time in the presence of others who are outside their household, without their face covering, (and) they're often engaged in conversations,'' she said. "And those are all strategies for increasing the spread of COVID-19.''
She said that fact highlights the need for residents to strictly adhere to health protocols when they are outside the home and in situations that put them in close contact with others.
The warning comes as local officials are increasingly concerned about a recent uptick in cases. Ferrer said that, at the beginning of October, the county was averaging about 940 new coronavirus cases per day, but that number has gone up to nearly 1,200 per day.
The county's daily positivity rate has also slightly increased from 3.1% at the beginning of the month to 3.4%.
The county has not experienced a spike in hospitalizations or deaths, though. Ferrer also noted that the newer cases are occurring primarily among younger people who are less likely to become seriously ill or require hospitalization.
Another 1,351 cases were confirmed by L.A. County, and Long Beach reported 45. Pasadena health officials reported six. The countywide total from throughout the pandemic stood at 303,420 as of Wednesday.
The county also reported another 20 COVID-19 related deaths, and Long beach announced one. So far, there have been 7,041 virus-related fatalities.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
