Copy Link Samuel Garrett-Pate speaks about abortion access and reproductive freedom during a press conference outside West Hollywood City Hall on May 22, 2019. (Courtesy Jon Viscott ) He knew it was risky, but after months of carefully following pandemic protocols, Samuel Garrett-Pate decided he couldn’t wait any longer to visit family. On his trip back from the East Coast, the 28-year-old Los Angeles resident anxiously stared at large, maskless crowds munching snacks during a layover of his flight. With Thanksgiving a few days away, airports were packed. When he returned home, he tested positive for COVID-19. But later he considered himself lucky.