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Los Angeles Apparel Reopens After COVID Outbreak

Health authorities had ordered the apparel supplier closed following a reported COVID-19 outbreak, but have since allowed the firm to reopen.

Los Angeles Apparel (asi/67971) has complied with all coronavirus-related workplace safety mandates required by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and has been allowed to reopen, according to LA County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis.

Davis said the L.A.-based clothing manufacturer is allowed to resume its entire operation. Public health authorities had ordered Los Angeles Apparel shut in June following an outbreak of COVID-19 in which four workers died and in which approximately 375 (out of nearly 2,300 total) were infected with the virus.

County health officials said they plan to monitor Los Angeles Apparel to ensure continued compliance with workplace safety standards. This will include unannounced safety inspections. “Let me be clear: They must continue to follow the mandated requirements," Davis told NBCLA.

L.A. Apparel obtained a consultant to help with the safety initiatives. The consultant, Vincent Garrett of CHANT Training Academy, said the apparel supplier has implemented facial recognition software for clocking in and out, rearranged physical layout of facilities to ensure 6 feet of separation between all work stations, and provided training led by physicians and registered nurses. The company is offering mental health care for workers.

“They’re also screening workers for COVID-19 symptoms,” Davis said.

Los Angeles Apparel posted a statement to its Instagram explaining what it says are the steps it has taken to protect workers during the pandemic:

View this post on Instagram

A lot has been said in the media about our factory in the past few weeks. Even if it’s not reported, it’s important that we state the facts regarding the actions that we took to safeguard our employees who have always been considered a part of our Los Angeles Apparel family. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic we have acted at virtually every juncture purposefully and deliberatively to protect the health and welfare of our employees. We will continue to work hard to set the highest standards in the apparel industry while at the same time keeping up with a constantly changing regulatory dynamic. Thank you for taking the time to read this. [This statement was translated into Spanish and was willingly signed by supervisors and managers who have both witnessed and implemented these precautions over the past four months.]

A post shared by Los Angeles Apparel (@losangelesapparel) on Jul 18, 2020 at 8:49pm PDT

Dov Charney founded Los Angeles Apparel in 2016. He’s best known as the founder of American Apparel (asi/35297), a brand that’s now owned by Top 40 supplier Gildan (asi/56842) and with which Charney has no affiliation.

Dov Charney

Dov Charney, Los Angeles Apparel

Los Angeles Apparel specializes in making fashion-forward basics. As the coronavirus crisis escalated into a full-scale pandemic, Los Angeles Apparel pivoted to producing cloth face coverings/masks at its L.A. facilities.

There’s been no indication from authorities that products Los Angeles Apparel has produced could have transmitted COVID-19 to buyers/end-users.

While not speaking about Los Angeles Apparel specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said of transmission through physical products, in general: “There is still a lot that is unknown about COVID-19 and how it spreads. Coronaviruses are thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Although the virus can survive for a short period on some surfaces, it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products or packaging. However, it may be possible that people can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”