LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles City Council passed a motion today to explore phasing out temporary COVID-19 programs and policies and get recommendations on which ones should be adopted permanently.
The motion, introduced by Councilman Joe Buscaino, passed 11-0. It instructs the city administrative officer to work with the chief legislative analyst and city attorney to provide recommendations to phase out temporary COVID-19 policies and programs and address the needs of Angelenos with long- term solutions.
The departments will also report on the impacts of policies that were in effect during the COVID-19 State of Emergency, which is ongoing, and which policies should be considered for permanent adoption.
The motion comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in the county continues to decline after this winter's Omicron surge. Council members are scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to take steps to scale back one of their most restrictive pandemic policies, requiring people to show proof of vaccination before entering many indoor public spaces.
Los Angeles County already repealed its own mandate requiring people entering breweries, bars and other indoor spaces to show proof of vaccination, and the city and county both ended their mask mandates for most indoor spaces on Friday.
The county's health director has continued urging residents to wear masks, even though they're no longer required in most indoor settings, saying they still offer strong protection against COVID-19 transmission.
The average rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus was 1% as of Monday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.