The city of Manhattan Beach, California, is really concerned about the recent increase in COVID-19 cases.
In fact, the city’s parents are So concerned that they have issued a new edict to their subjects: Do not sit on public property.
That’s right: residents will no longer be allowed to use city seats on publicly owned land – officials had all seats removed this weekend, the New York Post reported Sunday night.
What are they doing?
The coastal city, located about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles and within LA County, has seen its number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nearly double in the past two months.
According to Manhattan Beach Twitter feed, the city had 425 cases on November 1. Last Saturday, the city had 821 cases. And the daily number of new cases broke records on December 31 (21 cases) and January 1 (26 cases).
Therefore, city officials decided it was time to act. This action came in the form of a session ban.
Image source: Twitter / Manhattan Beach City
As of 10 pm on Sunday night, all outdoor seating on public properties was closed to the public. Tables and chairs were removed until further notice.
Image source: Twitter / Manhattan Beach City
Mayor Suzanne Hadley said in a city statement on Twitter that people should stay home – except to go to work, get the “essentials” or exercise.
There was no news from the city about where people outside exercising could sit and rest if they needed a break.
But the authorities who helped to paralyze local businesses with their restrictions were quick to encourage citizens – whom they simultaneously told to stay at home – to go out and support “our local businesses that are offering pickup, delivery and delivery services.”
More from the mayor:
We must continue to respond to the ever-changing dynamics of this pandemic. We are asking residents to stay at home, if possible, and mainly to go out to work and exercise outdoors.
This recent increase in the virus is significant, despite the good news last month that our Manhattan Beach firefighters received some of the first COVID-19 vaccinations. Although public lounges are temporarily closed, continue to support our local businesses that offer collection, transportation, delivery and delivery services.
Image source: Twitter / Manhattan Beach City
As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to increase in MB and across the county, the city is closing the outer seat… https://t.co/uK7MMY7oBL
– Manhattan Beach City (@Manhattan Beach City)1609641935.0
(H / T: HotAir)