The “limited Stay At Home Order” applies to all counties in the restrictive “purple” tier of the state’s coronavirus monitoring system — which includes Los Angeles County. The order will take effect at 10 p.m. Saturday and remain in force until 5 a.m. Dec. 21.
“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge,” Newsom said in a statement. “We are sounding the alarm. It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”
According to the governor’s office, the order is aimed at reducing opportunities for spread of the virus, nothing that activities conducted overnight “are often non-essential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings that have a higher likelihood of leading to reduced inhibition and reduced likelihood for adherence to safety measures like wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance.”
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s Health and Human Services secretary, said California is starting to experience the wave of cases that have affected other parts of the nation.
“We too are seeing this surge grow faster and faster and we must address it immediately,” he said.
Ghaly said the order is not a hard curfew, indicating that people can still go outside to walk their dog at 11 p.m. if that is their normal routine. He said the idea is to cut off activities and gatherings of people that can promote virus spread.
He said there is no definitive cause for the state’s sudden surge in cases.
“There is no single culprit,” Ghaly said. “It’s a combination of factors. It’s certainly the colder weather, more mixing, which comes with more opening. … And of course greater travel. We’ve enjoyed some events over the last many weeks — in my home county of Los Angeles, the Dodgers, the Lakers. We had Halloween. We just exited Veterans Day. We’re looking forward to other future events and activities as we go into the winter.
“We’ve had some things to celebrate, some things to protest, coming together in ways that we don’t usually always do,” Ghaly said. “All of those things create opportunities for the virus to spread, opportunities where when we’ve put our guard down it certainly does spread. And we know that those are factors driving this high transmission.”
On Monday, Newsom said he was pulling an “emergency brake” on economic activity in the state in response to rising case numbers. As part of that announcement, 28 counties were moved back to the restrictive “purple” tier of the monitoring system, leaving a total of 41 of the state’s 58 counties in that tier. The “purple” tier severely restricts capacity at retail establishments, closes fitness centers and limits restaurants to limited outdoor-only service.
Newsom said daily cases numbers in the state “have doubled just in the last 10 days. This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic.”
Newsom noted that the biggest increase the state had seen previously was in mid-June, when California had a 39.2% increase in new cases in one week. At the start of November, the state saw a 51.3% increase in a one-week period, he said. Newsom called it an “increase simply without precedent in California’s pandemic history.”
Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday announced 5,031 new coronavirus cases, the highest single-day total reported since the pandemic began. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said the county’s surging numbers have now exceeded the spike seen in mid-summer, jumping 68% since the end of October, compared to a 43% increase that occurred between mid-June and early July.
“At this point, no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis.
Loam says
“noting that activities conducted overnight “are often non-essential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings…”
Purely opinion. The government has no right to impose its subjective value of the activities that citizens do. Before ten, people meeting is “non-essential” but after ten, it’s likely non-essential so they are going to forbid it??? Who is the government to evaluate how I legally spend my time at any point in the day?
“Ghaly said the order is not a hard curfew, indicating that people can still go outside to walk their dog at 11 p.m. if that is their normal routine.”
If that is their normal routine? IF? It sounds so much that Ghaly is willing to deem people’s behavior appropriate or unappropriate by his whim.
How many more months of government abuses do we need to go through?
Alby says
If I may play the devils advocated… I’ve read through sources that vaccines wear out every century or so as humans become immune to the medicine. Take the cowboy era for example: Gun slingin, horse riding… Mask wearing travelers trying to settle back in the day. The flu was killing children and spouses left and right. Improper burials didnt help much either. A bandana around the face helped curb it as a cure was being constructed scientifically and over the years Hollywood and such made it more than what it is even though I’m sure masks were and still are used for devious purposes like todays era. It seems like we’re venturing into that era once again but with a more responsible rule of law like social/physical distancing among strangers waiting in line for any consumer endeavors. But its all gonna seem shady if it all of the sudden goes away a month or so after the inauguration no matter who wins. Then we’ll know for sure that it was just propaganda and who just might be responsible for it all and why.
Bite Me says
The stay-at-home order applies to every county in Southern California and affects 94 percent of the state’s population, except for people who work in the entertainment industry. The order doesn’t apply to entertainment industry workers, who are considered essential workers according to Newsom’s original stay-at-home order from March.
Of course. Would guess this also exempts drug dealers and prostitutes (who are part of the entertainment industry) so Newsome doesnt go without.
Bonnie says
… our wise, belevolent big brother, his highness Governor Newsom would like to inform us that, by decree, our bedtime every night, through December 21st, will be 10:00 pm. And, that after 10:00 pm, under no circumstance are we to venture outside. Those of us who do will be arbitrarily declared in violation of our master’s decree –
Joanie says
Great News! The coronavirus is scheduled to magically evanesce, immediately after the Harris-Biden inauguration! –
Roxanne says
… bedtime for middle-schoolers and adolescents: 10:00 pm, sharp!
Alby says
You put it in the right order to… Harris-Biden. “Slippery Joe” gots the wrong plan figured out perfectly.
Fed Up says
Remember in March “2 weeks to flatten the curve”?Now 7 months later and counting and Gruesome and his minions are doing the same things they’ve been doing all along that obviously don’t work or this would be over. The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So now we have the do as I say not as I do Governor imposing more restrictions on a struggling economy and expecting us to give up our holidays with our families to try to stop a virus with a 99% survival rate. Give it up little dictator, your “subjects” are calling BS. This is the United States and we demand our rights! Quit politicizing a virus that kills few of those who get it, most of whom would probably be dead now anyway since they were already sick and at the end of their lives!
Alby says
Rights aren’t demanded. They’re taken. The question is who’s willing to shoot first (literally and metaphorically) and who’s willing to defend? Maybe this is some propaganda to get people to keep their breaths freashened and to stop spitting when they talk. If it wasn’t so politicized, then the idea could be more respected. I believe physical distancing is great though, as it keeps strangers in check just like a fence makes a good neighbor. It give our children the ability to achieve their goals without stepping on toes or being stepped on. Personal space within reason is a God-given right that seems to be violated from time to time by ill-willed people. Nevertheless, me so fed up too.
Curfew says
I wonder where the little prince will be dining tonight.