“This modified health officer order aligns with the continued need to reduce risk for transmission and increase vaccination coverage,” Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of public health, said during a news briefing Friday. “And it offers us a reasonable path forward that hopefully positions us to be better able to break the cycle of surges.”
Los Angeles County’s new order is not required for indoor parts of restaurants but is strongly recommended. Children under 12 are exempt, Ferrer said.
Customers and employees will need to have at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by October 7 and be fully vaccinated by November 4.
The new order also requires vaccine verification or a negative test result within 72 hours for those attending mega events with 10,000 or more attendees in venues or events that are ticketed with controlled points of entry, Ferrer said, including places like sports arenas and amusement parks.
The county reported more than 1,820 new Covid-19 cases on Friday and more than 1,150 people hospitalized with the virus.
“Our data provides reassurance that these vaccines continue to provide excellent protection from Covid-related hospitalizations and deaths,” Ferrer said.
But the vaccines are not perfect, she added, and residents should layer in other ways of protection, especially where there are high levels of transmission and vulnerable residents, she said.