Our collective goal in Los Angeles is simple: to slow the spread of COVID-19. That’s the reason I signed the Safer at Home order three weeks ago, and it’s why we are making so many sacrifices today to save the lives of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones tomorrow.

This is a critical week in our fight against this virus. This is the week to cut back on any movement, to skip shopping if you have enough, to just stay home. We can’t get complacent, we can’t let up in this fight.

We know what we need to do to flatten the curve. We also understand the power in knowing who has the coronavirus so we can isolate it.

Expanding testing
In Los Angeles, we have ramped up testing at an extraordinary pace. We opened our first drive-through site the day after the Safer at Home order went into effect. Now there are 13 testing sites across the County, in partnership with the County Department of Public Health, and we’re on track to complete 30,000 tests by the end of this week. It’s our goal to expand testing as quickly as possible and deliver them to everyone who needs one.

This week we announced the expansion of our free testing program. Now, any resident of L.A. County with symptoms of COVID-19 can schedule a test.

We are no longer limiting tests to the highest-risk populations, but priority for same day or next day tests will still be given to symptomatic individuals with underlying health challenges, people over 65 years old, health care professionals, and first responders.

To check your eligibility and make an appointment, go to Coronavirus.LACity.org/Testing.

Wearing face coverings
Of course, the driver of every action we take is prevention. That’s why we issued new guidance last week to L.A. residents on the importance of wearing face coverings in public.

We’re taking that a step further and adding a new layer of protection for Angelenos in the fight against COVID-19.

Protecting our workers
Starting this Friday, workers in many of our non-medical essential businesses will be required to wear cloth face coverings over their noses and mouths while at work. The same goes for customers at these businesses. For our medical essential businesses, there are more specific types of protective equipment, and help we are providing on that front is outlined later in this email.

Employers are required to provide those face coverings for their employees, or reimburse them for their cost. This includes workers at grocery stores, pharmacies, taxi and rideshare businesses, and more. Please read more about this important new regulation. You have a role to play here, too.

Though you should stay at home as much as possible this week, if you must run an essential errand, you need to cover your face.

This face covering could be a bandana, a scarf, or something you make with fabric. You can find instructions online for making a cloth face covering or go to LAprotects.org to purchase one.

And spread the word. Share your face covering photo on social media with #LAProtects — or using our new Facebook profile frame.

Innovating for our health care workers

In addition to everything we’re doing to protect workers all across the city, we know that our doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals on the front lines in this fight deserve every available resource. To help keep them safe, it’s vitally important that we expand supplies of medical grade masks and other personal protective gear that they must wear on the job.

We launched L.A. Protects to help spur new production of critical supplies, by organizing approved local manufacturers to make protective gear and other equipment for essential workers — and connecting them with industries in need of those products. The initial target for the initiative was the manufacturing of 5 million non-medical masks, but now we’re also expanding that effort to include personal protective equipment for medical workers.

Over the weekend, I met with designers working inside the makerspace at the Iovine and Young Academy at USC, which is a partner in L.A. Protects.

They’re using 3D-printing technology to create new prototypes for face shields, N95-equivalent masks, and other protective gear for health care workers.

We'll soon be matching hospitals in need of supplies with architecture and design firms and other companies with the capacity to 3D print these items in bulk to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and protect the heroes in our hospitals.

Helping our workers and businesses
Washington’s coronavirus relief bill helps, but the $349 billion in Small Business Administration loans are a start to survival –– not a road to recovery. And we have to make sure everyone who needs assistance now can get it, to bolster the small, local businesses that are the cornerstone of our economy, and prevent more Angelenos from losing their jobs.

The package establishes two types of loans: Economic Injury Disaster loans, which help small businesses make up for temporary loss of revenue, and the Paycheck Protection Program (or PPP), which helps businesses keep workers on payroll during this emergency. There’s a lot of confusion about what businesses should apply for which loans. On top of that, many businesses are being told by their banks that they don’t qualify if they don’t already have a loan.

These loans are essential to keeping businesses afloat and keeping employees from being laid off.

That’s why I announced the L.A. CARES Corps, a partnership between the City and County to provide small businesses with the help they need to apply for federal loans.

The program offers an informative website — where business owners can obtain a clear explanation of the two emergency loan programs and directly access loan applications. And we have a call-in center at (833)-238-4450, where business owners can get help from loan counselors trained in completing S.B.A. applications. For businesses that are not eligible for an S.B.A. loan, there is information on how to apply for the City’s Small Business Emergency Loan or obtain assistance through a BusinessSource Center.

Staying safe 
Easter Sunday is a special time for people across our city and around the world, and it’s usually a time when families come together in parks across Los Angeles. But just like so many things about this year, we can’t take any chances and go about our usual routines.

Though we closed hiking trails, beaches, City rec centers and sports facilities, we have continued to allow the use of parks for walking and jogging. But this weekend, we’re taking the additional step of fully closing City parks starting the evening of Saturday, April 11th, through the morning of Monday, April 13th.

We’re taking these steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and protect our families and communities.

We’re going to keep working, keep bringing every resource to bear to help Angelenos through this crisis. If you are unable to pay your rent due to COVID-19, we’ve put some of the strongest protections in the nation in place to keep you from being evicted and giving you a year to pay back rent. Go to HCIDLA.LACity.org to learn more about your rights. 

For more resources to help you through this difficult time, along with answers to frequently asked questions, please visit Coronavirus.LACity.org.

Thank you for everything you’re doing to flatten the curve, slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. 

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay home.

Eric Garcetti
Your Mayor