Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a Thursday briefing that he’s in quarantine at home after his 9-year-old daughter tested positive for coronavirus.
“On Monday while I was at work, my wife called to let us know that our beloved daughter Maya, who turned 9 this weekend, wasn’t feeling very well,” Garcetti said. “And after she came down with a fever, we had her tested for COVID-19, and her results came back positive.”
The mayor said his daughter’s symptoms are mild, and that he and his wife have tested negative for the virus.
“We follow very strict protocols in our household,” he said, adding that he didn’t know how she got the virus. “There’s no behavior that she has engaged in that doesn’t adhere strictly to the protocols of our health officials.”
Also Thursday, Garcetti, who was a co-chair for President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, ended speculation that he’d be joining the Biden administration, saying he plans to remain mayor of L.A.
“There were things on the table for me,” the mayor said, though he declined to name what position was offered to him when asked by reporters.
His announcement came as state health officials announced Thursday that intensive care units in Southern California are at capacity as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to grow.
Meanwhile, L.A. County officials warned that local hospitals will be hit with a surge of new patients in coming weeks, pushing the region’s medical infrastructure to the edge.
The mayor said Thursday that the county may have to declare a system-wide crisis in coming days, indicating that all hospitals have run out of space and elective procedures could be canceled.
Amid such dire forecasts, the first COVID-19 vaccine shipment arrived in Los Angeles Sunday, with a rollout already underway for high-risk health care workers and those in skilled nursing facilities.
But the majority of people won’t have access to the scarce supply of the vaccine for months. L.A City Attorney Mike Feuer warned residents Thursday not to fall for scams.
“There will be a wait—and that is surely an opportunity for scammers to try to sell you fake vaccines that are ineffective at best—and dangerous at worst,” Feuer said.
The mayor has urged Angelenos to uphold pandemic protocols during what’s expected to be a lengthy vaccine rollout.
Garcetti announced the Grocery Initiative for Vital Emergency Needs on Thursday, a program in partnership with the city and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. The initiative aims to provide thousands of Angelenos in need with a $300 cash card that will enable them to buy food and other essentials during the holiday season, according to its website.
Earlier Thursday, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered that Garcetti be deposed in a sexual harassment lawsuit involving his former top aide.