With the coronavirus spreading rapidly and pushing hospitals to a crisis point, Los Angeles County officials are recommending further safety measures — going so far as to urge some residents to wear masks inside their homes.

The concern, L.A. County’s top health official says, is the danger posed to vulnerable residents when those they live with work outside the home or go out to shop or perform other essential tasks.

Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director, on Monday pleaded with the public to stay at home as much as possible. When leaving home to access essential services, she said, people should bring sanitizing wipes to disinfect their cellphones, car keys, work stations and door handles — anything they might touch that others also have touched.

Ferrer also issued a new recommendation: People who live with elderly residents or with residents who have an underlying medical condition and must go out of their households should wear a mask at home.

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