Everything you need to know to get through the coronavirus pandemic in California

Keeping track of the news and reopenings in California can be challenging. To help, The Times updates this page each week with news and information about the state’s progress, rules and more. We also will provide information for staying safe, healthy and sane.

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Headlines and numbers: The latest | What we’re all wondering: Supporting black-owned businesses | Recommended reading: Great stories

The six goals: Where things stand | Essential information and resources

The latest numbers

The death toll in the U.S. has surpassed 100,000.

Do I have to wear a mask?

Yes.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an order that all Californians must wear a face covering in public or in high-risk settings. That includes shopping, taking public transit or seeking medical care. Why was this order issued? Countries and states where people wear masks have seen their numbers of coronavirus cases fall.

What are the exact rules? Masks must be worn by Californians any time they are in public. The order also includes workplaces: when serving customers or any member of the public, all food service workers, when walking through parking facilities and hallways at work, and when riding on elevators. People who drive buses, taxis, ride-hailing vehicles or any other service that accepts passengers also must wear masks.

California’s mandate exempts children 2 years old and younger and people with a medical, mental health or developmental disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering. Restaurant customers are also exempt when eating and drinking, as are residents engaged in outdoor recreation as long as they are able to keep distance from others.

Face coverings also are not required for the hearing impaired, or those communicating with them, or for workers whose health may be put at risk or who may need to temporarily remove a mask to perform a task or service.

Masks must be worn by Californians in their workplaces when serving customers or any member of the public, by all food service workers, when walking through parking facilities and hallways at work, and when riding on elevators, according to the order. People who drive buses, taxis, ride-hailing vehicles or any other service that accepts passengers also must wear masks.

Spend some time with these great Los Angeles Times stories.

Risking infection to protest: The average age in Laguna Woods, located in Orange County, is 78, making residents prime targets for the coronavirus. But that didn’t keep dozens from turning out to say Black lives matter, writes our colleague Gustavo Arellano.

Scroll for prom: This year’s class of high schoolers didn’t get an in-person prom — so the Los Angeles Times threw them a virtual one. Our celebration is complete with celebrity advice, cheesy portrait backgrounds and a great playlist — all the hallmarks of any great prom.

Questionable devices: Jessica Roy rounded up some of the most questionable innovations meant to protect us from the coronavirus and presented them to Paula Cannon, a virologist and professor at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, who previously answered our readers’ embarrassing questions about life in a pandemic. Effective these are not — unless you’re looking for a gag gift.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has laid out six benchmarks to help gauge how the state will move between the four phases of reopening. The state is moving into Phase 3.

Which California counties are reopening?

Which California counties are reopening?

To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.

1. Testing

The governor says the state needs the ability to test, trace contacts, and isolate and support people who have the virus or have been exposed.

The facts: All L.A. County residents, regardless of symptoms, are allowed to be tested for free at sites run by the city Los Angeles. That’s a first for a major U.S. city. Health experts are urging anyone who attended recent protests to get tested.

The state is not yet able to test everyone, but it has expanded who can be tested, recommending that all people in high-risk settings, including grocery store employees, bus drivers and law enforcement officers, receive routine screenings for the virus. California nursing home residents and employees must now be tested, as well.

Antibody tests have few regulations, and it’s unclear what actionable information can be gleaned from the results. Contact tracing is in development by some large tech firms, an effort that has raised privacy concerns. While that is in the works, counties that want to reopen more quickly than the state will need to have 15 people working as contact tracers per 100,000 residents.

2. Prevent infections

The governor says the state needs to be able to prevent infection in people who are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19.

The facts: Strict physical-distancing orders are being relaxed around the state. Bars and nail salons are among the latest businesses allowed to reopen. Everyone in California must wear a mask when leaving home.

Data indicate that the pandemic is not over. As L.A. County reopens more and more parts of its economy, it faces a serious test: Will a new wave of infections follow?

Serious outbreaks have hit in institutional settings, such as nursing homes and prisons, and some industries, such as meatpacking.

3. Robust healthcare system

Newsom says the state needs for hospitals and the health system to be able to handle surges.

The facts: Phase 1 of California’s reopening included building hospital surge capacity, changing physical settings and workflow in hospitals to account for the coronavirus, and making more protective equipment, such as masks and medical gowns, available. With more parts of California in Phase 3, modeling shows some uncertainty about whether hospitals can keep up with increased cases.

4. Therapies

The governor says the state needs the ability to develop therapeutics to meet demand.

The facts: Studies are underway on numerous potential therapies. A common steroid is the latest drug to show positive results for patients with the most serious cases of COVID-19. Also, federal government researchers have reported that the antiviral medication remdesivir helped patients with advanced COVID-19 recover more quickly than a placebo treatment.

In the race for a vaccine, nearly 160 potential vaccines are in various stages of development. Is it possible one of them will succeed in 2020? Maybe — but a lot of things would have to go right. Many viral diseases have spread for decades without a vaccine, a reminder that there is no guarantee of success.

5. Physical distancing

The governor says the state’s businesses, schools and childcare facilities need to be able to support physical distancing.

The facts: The state is recommending that retailers continue to encourage physical distancing and implement “hands free” ways for customers to pay. Manufacturers should close indoor break areas, and warehouses should carry sanitation materials during deliveries and provide employees with personal protective gear. In-person worship services will be limited to 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is smaller.

Newsom also has said the state needs to enact policies that allow people to stay home when they are sick. One such policy was enacted by a Newsom executive order making it easier for essential workers who contract COVID-19 to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.

Businesses — especially lower-risk retail, manufacturing and offices — will need to adapt their workplaces, provide wage replacement for sick workers, and allow employees to work from home whenever possible, according to Newsom. Individuals are asked to continue wearing masks, to continue adhering to physical distancing and to avoid nonessential travel.

6. Reinstate orders if needed

The governor says California needs the ability to reinstate its stay-at-home order and other measures if necessary.

The facts: In Southern California, a coordinated effort at communication has emerged.

Business

The federal $600 unemployment benefit ends July 31. What’s next?

Business

The federal $600 unemployment benefit ends July 31. What’s next?

For some Americans, the extra federal unemployment benefit has been a lifeline. With unemployment still high, lawmakers have various proposals for what to do next.

Here’s how to get tested in Los Angeles County.

All Los Angeles County residents can get a coronavirus test. Testing is by appointment only, so register online first. Most testing sites are drive-through, but some are walk-up. The Dodger Stadium testing site can now administer 6,000 tests a day.

Here’s the latest list of county and city testing sites. Check before going to ensure the site is open.

• Antelope Valley Mall (1233 Rancho Vista Blvd., Palmdale)
• Pomona Fairplex (Gate 17, West McKinley and Fairplex Drive, Pomona)
• South Bay Galleria (1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach)
• Carbon Health in Echo Park — walk-up only (2110 Sunset Blvd., Suite M, Echo Park)
• Crenshaw Christian Center (7901 S. Vermont Ave., Vermont Knolls)
• Glendale Memorial Hospital (222 W. Eulalia St., Glendale)
• Hansen Dam Recreational Center (11798 Foothill Blvd. in Lake View Terrace, entrance on Osborne Street)
• High Desert Medical Group (43839 15th St. West, Lancaster)
• Hotchkin Memorial Training Center (1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles)
• VA Parking Lot 15 (100 Constitution Ave., Los Angeles)
• Northridge Hospital Medical Center (18460 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge, enter on Reseda Boulevard)
• Lincoln Park (3501 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles)
• AltaMed Medical and Dental Group — Commerce, Goodrich (972 Goodrich Blvd., Commerce)
• AltaMed Medical Group — Pico Rivera, Passons (6336 Passons Blvd., Pico Rivera)
• AltaMed Medical and Dental Group — South Gate (8627 Atlantic Ave., South Gate)
• Long Beach City College (1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway)
• AltaMed Medical and Dental Group — West Covina (1300 S. Sunset Ave., West Covina)
• Charles R. Drew campus (1731 E. 120th St., Willowbrook)
• Santa Clarita (26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita)
• Pasadena (1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena)
• East Los Angeles College (1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez in Monterey Park)
• Warner Center (6097 Canoga Ave. in Woodland Hills)
• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (8730 Alden Drive, Los Angeles)
• Kedren Community Health Center — walk-up only (4211 Avalon Blvd., Historic South-Central)
• Altamed Medical Group (2040 Camfield Ave., Commerce)

Business

Worried about getting the coronavirus at work? Here’s what you can do

Business

Worried about getting the coronavirus at work? Here’s what you can do

From Cal/OSHA complaints to uniting with unions, workers can take some action if they feel their workplaces aren’t keeping them safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other essentials

• What’s open and what’s closed in L.A. and California? The Times is tracking it.
• Avoid nonessential travel. The L.A. County Department of Health puts it bluntly: Travel for leisure, vacation and entertainment is not essential.
• Here’s the latest on which trails, parks and beaches are closed in Southern California.
• And here’s what you need to know about California’s national parks.
• Wash your hands, and stop touching your face.
• Wear a face covering in public.
• Practice social distancing. Even people who feel healthy should keep six feet away from others. If you feel sick, stay home. If someone in your home has tested positive for the coronavirus, everyone should stay home and follow directions from your healthcare provider.
• To care for someone with coronavirus at home, monitor symptoms, prevent spread of the virus, treat symptoms and determine when to end isolation.
• The CDC has an updated list of symptoms to watch for.
• There are some cough syrups you should avoid if you think you have the virus.
• Doctor’s orders, rest and hydration are the best medicine.
• Here’s how to help the seniors in your life.
• Here’s how to help food pantries or to receive groceries and supplies.
• If you want to donate to charity, here are tips for how to decide where to give.
• A new federal law provides for paid sick leave for some workers who didn’t previously have it, including those who have COVID-19, those in quarantine for COVID-19, those who are caring for a family member with COVID-19, those subject to a government quarantine or who have been advised by a doctor to self-quarantine, and those caring for children whose schools or daycare centers have closed.
• If you have lost work, you can apply for unemployment.
• Getting mortgage relief can be confusing. Here’s how to make it easier. There’s also a new deferral option.
• Renters have some eviction protections, and the L.A. City Council is considering rent relief measures.
• Fake news and misinformation can spread rapidly in times of crisis. Confirm the authenticity of accounts, check that social media posts link to reliable sources, and look for signs, like attribution, that the information itself is correct before sharing. Here are more tips.
• For your next trip to the grocery store, remember to make a list, check what you already have at home, don’t fret about getting the exact right ingredient for a recipe, and wipe down your shopping cart handle.
• Tax day has been pushed to July 15, 2020, from the usual April 15.

Science

Can the coronavirus live on clothes and shoes? And for how long?

Science

Can the coronavirus live on clothes and shoes? And for how long?

You know you need to wash your hands after going to the grocery store — what about your favorite hoodie? Here’s what we know so far.

The Los Angeles Times is providing access to this page for free to all readers. This page was published March 16, 2020. Starting March 17, we updated twice each weekday. Starting April 6, we moved to updating once a day. Starting May 29, we moved to updating weekly. The news and information on this page is written and compiled by Times staffers Jessica Roy, Adrienne Shih, Nicole Santa Cruz, Fidel Martinez, Seth Liss, Lila Seidman, Faith Pinho and Matt Ballinger. Support journalism that makes a difference in our community by purchasing a digital subscription.