Los Angeles COVID restrictions update: Here's how the business curfew would work, be enforced

With a curfew set to take effect for many businesses in Los Angeles County as COVID-19 cases surge, some confusion has arisen as to how the restrictions will be enforced.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told Eyewitness News he wasn't made aware of the curfew, which begins Friday, but he said he will follow the lead of the county Department of Public Health.

Under the curfew, restaurants, breweries, bars and non-essential retail businesses must be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Non-essential indoor businesses must also limit capacity to 25%. Outdoor cardrooms and outdoor dining will be limited to 50% capacity.

RELATED: LA County officials to enact business curfew, other restrictions on Friday amid 'dangerous point' in COVID pandemic

L.A. County health officials are set to enact new restrictions - such as a business curfew - in an effort to reverse a COVID-19 surge.

County officials say the tighter restrictions could be expanded to a total lockdown in the near future amid the ongoing spike in cases and hospitalizations ahead of the holiday season.

"All of us have to get back to doing what we know works, and we have to get back to playing by the rules," said county Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

Every county in Southern California is now back in the purple tier, or most restrictive tier, in the state's reopening framework -- and they must have conformed to the rules by Tuesday -- after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this week that 40 California counties had moved back to a more restrictive tier.

RELATED: All of Southern California is now in the purple tier - here's what that means

Does the new color coded, 4-tier system for monitoring COVID-19 in California leave you scratching your head? ABC7 breaks down what each tier means.

The change moved Ventura and Orange counties from the red tier to the purple tier setting forth rollbacks for a number of reopenings. It also prompted L.A. County officials to take action to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Former L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said neighbors and society putting pressure on people to follow rules.

"For it to be imposed by government on people, they automatically have a tendency to resist that," he said.

KO Gym in Oxnard, which requires members to be tested regularly, contradicted state orders on Tuesday by allowing indoor services.

"We're gonna go back to doing the outdoor area, and limited indoor area as well," said owner Larry Pollock.

RELATED: Newsom considering curfew as CA COVID-19 cases spike, 40 counties move to more restrictive tiers

In 11 of those counties, the state is using what it calls an "emergency brake" dropping the counties two tiers, for example from Orange to the most restrictive, Purple.