Cities, States Crack Down as COVID-19 Cases Near 5 Million Nationwide

As COVID-19 cases near 5 million in the U.S., states are beginning to take stricter precautions. In California, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared the city has entered into a new legally binding health officer order to ban large gatherings during the pandemic. This comes after a woman was shot and killed at a house party earlier this week. The mayor has authorized the city’s Department of Water and Power to shut down resident’s utilities that violate this new order. It could also result in heavy fines, jail time or both. Mississippi, a state with a relatively low population, has reported the fifth-highest case count per 100,000 people. They are behind only Louisiana, Arizona, Florida and New York. As a result, they’ve officially implemented mask mandates for all public gatherings and in schools. In New York City, Mayor Bill De Blasio announced that law enforcement will establish COVID-19 checkpoints for travelers at key entrances into the city to ensure the spread of COVID-19 is contained and thoroughly monitored. Almost 160,000 people have died in the U.S. as a result of the coronavirus.