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So what happens when COVID is this widespread in LA? It spreads everywhere, making everything more dangerous.
I looked at grocery stores, the most essential of businesses. Staff are falling sick at unprecedented rates. Trader Joe's. Sprouts. Food 4 Less. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-20/coronavirus-outbreaks-los-angeles-grocery-stores-essential-businesses
I looked at grocery stores, the most essential of businesses. Staff are falling sick at unprecedented rates. Trader Joe's. Sprouts. Food 4 Less. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-20/coronavirus-outbreaks-los-angeles-grocery-stores-essential-businesses
So many businesses in LA are still open despite stay-at-home orders and the virus is spreading so fast. L.A. County is investigating ongoing coronavirus outbreaks at 490 businesses, compared with 173 a month ago, according to county data.
When the coronavirus is as prevalent as it is now, it's likely that a worker will fall sick in their community, bring the infection into work, and that the indoor environment will allow the virus to spread. That's how you get 490 businesses with ongoing outbreaks in LA County.
Barbara Hughes, a cashier at a Food 4 Less in Palmdale, had to put in 70 hours last week because so many of her colleagues are out with COVID-19. More than 21 have recently tested positive.
“It’s stressful, but I just tell myself: ‘You gotta go. You gotta work.’”
“It’s stressful, but I just tell myself: ‘You gotta go. You gotta work.’”
What stunned me was how many of the outbreaks at have begun during the past month or so. Half of the outbreaks at Whole Foods, a third of the ones at Trader Joe's, half of the outbreaks at Target reported over the course of the *entire* pandemic started in the past 6 weeks
The experts I talked to said this is a perfect illustration of one of the hardest messages to convey about the pandemic. The same activities carry different risks at different times, depending on the prevalence of the virus in the community.
“Everything becomes more dangerous than it was last month,” @KBibbinsDomingo told me. “When 1 in 80 people in L.A. are infected, even if you’re just going to the grocery store … there’s a higher chance today than there was two weeks ago that you’ll be exposed to COVID."
This data is public! You can look up whether there's an ongoing outbreak at whatever store you're planning to go to in LA County http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/locations.htm#nonres-settings
Also Sprouts specifically keeps this running list of every positive test among staff at their stores https://www.sprouts.com/local-store-information-covid-19/
So what does this all mean? The same thing you've been hearing forever. The safest thing is to stay home, if you're able. When you do visit a store, minimize your time inside and leave if is too crowded or you feel like there isn't good masking. Act like everyone around has COVID
“Many things are permitted still, but they may not be wise, and they carry immense risks for you and the people around you,” Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county health services director, said last week.
The health official I spoke to recommended consolidating trips as much as possible. And leaving if a store seems unsafe.
“If things are operating as they should, I’m comfortable with that — people shouldn’t have an irrational fear that just walking in the building is a problem.”
“If things are operating as they should, I’m comfortable with that — people shouldn’t have an irrational fear that just walking in the building is a problem.”
Ha, since we finalized this story yesterday there has been another update to the outbreak count in LA. There are now 496 businesses with ongoing outbreaks -- meaning a staff member has tested positive in the past 14 days -- in LA County.
Wow, one of the new outbreaks reported this weekend is among staff at Costco in Culver City. Fifty-one staff members are sick.
This is in addition to an outbreak at Costco in Woodland Hills that was reported earlier this month that has infected 33 staff so far.
This is in addition to an outbreak at Costco in Woodland Hills that was reported earlier this month that has infected 33 staff so far.
A handy little guide for preparing for your next shopping trip https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-20/covid-19-spreading-la-county-supermarkets-safety-tips-shopping
