LOS ANGELES, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States, issued a new safer-at-home order Friday that placed stricter limits on gatherings and occupancy at businesses.

Under the new order, all public and private gatherings with someone outside Angelinos' own households are now prohibited. Exceptions are only made for church services and protests protected by the Constitution.

Moreover, occupancy limits at businesses would stand at 35 percent for essential retail and 20 percent for non-essential retail like outdoor malls, as well as for personal care services and libraries.

For fitness centers operating outdoors, museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums and other recreational businesses like batting cages, the maximum of occupancy is 50 percent.

The new order will take effect from Monday and last at least until Dec. 20, meaning it avoids the Thanksgiving weekend, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, when 40 percent of all holiday shopping occurred, according to the National Retail Federation.

In the United States, the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday is called Cyber Monday, which promotes online shopping for customers.

A union representing hotel and food workers told local media that they support the new plan because it protected those who are working on the frontlines and interacting with the public on a regular basis.

"Our decision to support this measure is guided by science and prioritizes the health of all workers -- servers and cooks as well as nurses and doctors," Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, told KABC news channel.

Los Angeles County on Friday reported 4,544 new COVID-19 cases, raising the five-day average of new coronavirus cases up to 4,751. According to thresholds announced earlier in the month, a renewed safer-at-home order would be issued if the county's five-day average exceeds 4,500. Enditem

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