Los Angeles may hold off on allowing big gatherings until 2021 because of the coronavirus threat, according to an internal Los Angeles Fire Department email reviewed by The Times.
Mayor Eric Garcetti raised the issue during his weekly briefing Monday with a group of high-level staff from several departments, including Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas. Garcetti indicated during the conference call that “large gatherings such as concerts and sporting events may not be approved in the city for at least 1 year,” according to the email.
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Garcetti also talked during the conference call with his staff about reopening the economy, starting with “essential businesses and small businesses … phased in over a period of time (6-10 months),” according to Richmond’s email.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that events that draw hundreds or thousands of strangers will be off limits for the near future, based on current guidelines.
As someone who was really looking forward to seeing the Eagles in concert and the Dodgers and Lakers bringing titles back to LA this year, this is another major blow. Although, at this point, nothing surprises me anymore. I’ve accepted the fact that it’s a long shot any sporting events or concerts are held before 2021 due to how rapidly COVID-19 can spread.
The LA Times article didn’t mention whether or not teams would be able to play in empty stadiums/arenas, but any gatherings with hundreds or thousands of people are out of the question. Aside from the health risks, I’m curious to know what the public perception will be after the government declares it’s okay to return to our normal routine. Honestly, I’ll probably avoid large gatherings until I get vaccinated because it’s not like the virus magically goes away as soon as the government lifts the quarantine order.
I know most people think they’re invincible but I’ve seen enough healthy young people hospitalized by COVID-19 to know that it’ll be dangerous for a while. Especially for a city like L.A., where there’s a plethora of concerts and sporting events on a daily basis it’s probably best to keep everything closed until we’re sure everything’s safe. People come from all over the country and world to visit L.A., which only heightens the chances of someone spreading the virus…all it takes is one. Until then, for the love of god, keep Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit safe at all costs.