Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says facial coverings now required while in public

LOS ANGELES - People are now required to wear masks or facial coverings while in public in Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday as an executive order, but his order excludes children under 2 years old and people with disabilities who already had respiratory problems.

"You never know when you're going to bump into somebody around a corner in a park and see somebody," Garcetti said. "Have your mask with you when you leave your house."

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Facial coverings or masks were already required by several Southland transportation agencies, many of which ordered the requirement for their riders beginning Monday.

A woman wearing a protective mask runs in front of stores remaining closed on May 08, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Araya Diaz/Getty Images)

"Today's orders also simplify this for all Angelenos. We're requiring all Angelenos, except for small children or those with disabilities that might be harmed by a face mask, to wear a face covering," Garcetti said.

Garcetti also said motorized vehicles would be banned from certain streets, this weekend to allow people to have more space when biking and walking.

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"This is really tough work. And I want to remind you, this is about saving the lives of people we know," Garcetti said. "It pisses me off when I hear people say, 'Oh, those are just old people.'"

"Because you know that so many of the people that are dying are our parents and our grandparents and our neighbors. Many of them are veterans who have served our country."

The city has been deterring people who are 65 and older or people with preexisting conditions related to respiratory issues to go outside during the pandemic.

No details of which streets would be partially or completely closed were provided by Garcetti.