On anniversary, pandemic isn't over, but pressures easing

Three years. Many lifetimes. So many lives.

It was three years ago today that, following an extraordinary call by the governor the day before for certain kinds of businesses to close, Los Angeles County issued an unprecedented directive to its 10 million residents. A novel virus was spreading across the world and massive L.A. County was not immune from any of it: Call it a shutdown, call it a lockdown, call it “safe at home.” Regardless, fueled by what by then was the coronavirus's exponential spread, the county's health officer prohibited gatherings of 50 or more at all indoor and outdoor, public and private events and gatherings within a confined space.

The city of L.A. and Long Beach would back up the county's order with their own directives, making “social distancing” a ubiquitous term and altering business life in a county where life itself would drastically change.

Remember?

It was that day when restaurants could continue to serve food to customers via delivery, takeout or drivethru. But the order required the closing of businesses, where as the county said, it was “common for patrons to be in close contact with each other for extended periods of time, such as, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, arcades, bowling alleys and bars and nightclubs that do not serve food. “

On that day, 25 cases had been reported in the county for what by then was a total of 87 since the mysterious virus starting showing up in the county on Jan. 26, 2020.

But the numbers were growing fast and officials began envisioning troubling scenarios where the region's healthcare system would be overrun. We weren't alone of course — the World Health Organization first called the outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

“It was like war was declared,” said Richard Pink, owner of Pink's Hot Dogs, the 84-year-old Hollywood favorite, reflecting on the day of the order.

His popular business had survived the nation's wars, national financial crises. But it had never faced something like this.

“It was a war against a disease,” he said. “We had to do everything we could to protect ourselves from the bombs that were dropping, and those bombs were were viral.”

Pink and millions of others have now lived the hardfought journey three years later. But it's not without a cost. Pink would close for months, and then open again, but with strict protocols to make sure his employees and customers were safe. He's gradually extended his hours again.

That day three years ago remains in fresh in L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn's mind.

“It was a nightmare,” she said Wednesday. “We knew very little about this virus, but we knew it was spreading and we knew that people were safer at home. I cannot imagine how scary it was for essential workers whose jobs did not allow them to work from home.”