Fox News – Los Angeles County public health officials are asking residents to avoid attending religious services despite recent court rulings that reversed such bans on indoor worship.
The request comes as California topped 2 million COVID-19 cases, according to government figures.
Religious services became a point of contention as county officials issued lockdown orders and some places of worship have opened in defiance.
The L.A. County Department of Public Health said Thursday in a statement:
“No matter what a Superior Court judge says and given what’s happening now, it is simply too risky to gather indoors with other people who do not live with you,”
The county reversed its indoor worship ban over the weekend after a Supreme Court ruling that sided with a Southern California church that challenged the restrictions.
Around 14,000 Los Angeles County residents are testing positive for the coronavirus each day, the Public Health Department said.
In addition, overwhelmed hospitals are admitting 1,000 COVID-19 positive patients daily and capacity in intensive care units is dangerously low.
As of Thursday, the county had 355 ICU beds available …
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L.A. health director nearly breaks down in tears at coronavirus briefing: ‘Deaths are an incalculable loss’
By Teo Armus, Dec. 10, 2020
Washington Post – For months, Barbara Ferrer, the public health director in Los Angeles County, has appeared beside a series of charts — infections, hospitalizations, fatalities — and tried to provide straightforward weekly updates on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting her county’s more than 10 million residents.
But on Wednesday, with the number of deaths rapidly surging, she struggled to get the words out.
“While this trend line provides a frightening visual of our reality, the more terrible truth is that over 8,000 people …” Ferrer shuddered, catching her breath as she visibly held back tears.
She continued, her voice breaking, “Sorry. Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back.” Ferrer called their deaths “an incalculable loss to their friends and their family as well as our community” … Read more.
