Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Mayor, says anyone who hosts large parties will be have their utilities shut off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What We Know:
- On Wednesday, August 5, the L.A. mayor has reports dozens of parties happening across the county amid the pandemic. Garcetti says these parties are in violation of the public safety orders set in place. He states, “These large house parties have essentially become nightclubs for the hills. By turning off that power, shutting off that water, we feel we can close these places down.”
- According to Garcetti, the order will go into effect on Friday. If the LAPD responds to a call at a residence multiple times because they are having large parties, they will give the residents notice and will call the Department of Water and Power. This will result in their service being shut off within the next 48 hours. The L.A. County Department of Public Health issued a statement concerning the matter.
- Garcetti states that house parties have become nightclubs. He stated, “Many times, the homes are vacant or used for short term rentals, and beyond the noise, the traffic and nuisance, these large parties are unsafe and can cost Angelenos their lives.” The gatherings involve people not wearing face coverings, and it is difficult to social distance, making people at risk for COVID-19. According to NPR, there were at least 200 people at a party at a Mulholland Drive mansion, which ended in a fatal shooting on Monday.
- The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has found that individuals between the ages of 30 and 49 have the highest case rate among all age groups. The director, Barbara Ferrer, has urged younger adults to be careful when attending parties because they may put older adults at risk. Ferrer says, “We can and will one day get to the point where hanging out with a group of friends is possible. But we aren’t there yet.”
Sixty percent of new COVID-19 cases come from those who are between the ages of 18 and 49.
