Fans At Rams Game Told They Have To Wear Masks In SoFi Stadium

INGLEWOOD (CBSLA) - Everyone attending outdoor "mega-events" of more than 10,000 people -- such as open-air concerts and baseball, football, and soccer games -- will have to wear a face-covering in Los Angeles County under a new COVID-19 health order that took effect Friday.

The updated health order applies to all events of more than 10,000 people. The order cites as examples music or food festivals, car shows, endurance events, marathons, parades, sporting events and concerts. Theme parks are not included.

The mandate will affect people attending games at Dodger Stadium, as well as Rams/Chargers games at SoFi Stadium, LAFC games at Banc of California Stadium, and LA Galaxy Games at Dignity Health Sports Park. Concert-goers at the Hollywood Bowl will also be affected.

The order -- which kicked in at 11:59 p.m. Thursday -- requires mask-wearing in such outdoor settings except when people are "actively eating or drinking." The order will apply to everyone, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

Outdoor events had previously been exempted from the county's mask-wearing mandate, which requires face coverings in all indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are also required on public transit, at transit hubs such as airports and train stations, inside schools, at health care settings, homeless shelters and correctional facilities.

The Rams placed punters Johnny Hekker and Corey Bojorquez on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday.

Being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list is for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or has been in close contact with an infected person.

Teams are not allowed to comment on a player's medical status other than referring to roster status under a policy agreed to by the NFL Players Association, the union representing the league's players.

Without a punter on the roster, kicker Matt Gay handled punting duties for Saturday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium, punting in a game for the first time since 2011, when he averaged 50.1 yards on 10 punts for Orem (Utah) High School.

The Rams signed Bojorquez as a free agent in April after he punted three seasons for the Buffalo Bills, averaging 45 yards per punt. Hekker averaged 45.6 yards per punt in 2020, the least of his nine seasons in the NFL. Hekker is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, most recently in 2017.