Los Angeles, May 15 (IANS): Los Angeles County residents will be mandated to wear face coverings outdoors as it was moving forward with reopening plans amid the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities said.
"Masks are in fact mandatory across the entire county when you are outside of your home, not with members of your household, and in any kind of contact with other people," Barbara Ferrer, director of the county's Department of Public Health, said at a news briefing on Thursday.
"Any time you're out and there are people around, whether it be at a trailhead, or a parking lot, or on a sidewalk, you will need to wear your cloth face covering."
She urged 10 million Los Angeles County residents to wear face coverings because it was a very important step to protect other people as not everyone who was infected with COVID-19 has symptoms, reports Xinhua news agency.
County health officials said that they were working hard to put protocols into place to ensure more public spaces can reopen safely.
Children under two and people who are unable to put on or take off a face covering were not required to wear one, according to the county's Department of Public Health.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday that all residents were required to wear protective face coverings when they leave the house.
Under California Governor Gavin Newsom's four-phase guidelines, Los Angeles County, now in Stage 2, is moving to reopen sectors of its economy, rolling back restrictions on certain types of businesses and public sites.
A new health officer order was issued Wednesday by the county's Department of Public Health that replaces the previous order and allows for lower-risk businesses and select recreational facilities and beaches to reopen with modifications.
Select recreational facilities including golf courses, tennis courts, shooting and archery ranges, equestrian centres, bike parks, and community gardens can also reopen, according to the new order.
Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation announced that it will begin reopeningtennis and pickleball courts, equestrian centres, BMX bike areas, trap, and skeet/archery ranges, model airplanes and community gardens, on Friday.
The County has reported 35,329 COVID-19 cases with 1,709 deaths.