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California announced Thursday that it will impose a mandatory stay-at-home order for much of the state as COVID-19 reaches unprecedented levels and hard-hit Los Angeles County heads for even more severe foreclosure measures.
As the coronavirus surges statewide, the situation in Los Angeles County was quickly reaching crisis levels, with nearly 5,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, the most it has seen in a day since. start of the pandemic.
What’s more, California set another record: more than 13,000 cases a day three times this week – Monday, Thursday and Friday, according to an independent county-by-county tally by The Times. Prior to this week, California had recorded over 13,000 cases in a single day on a single day by early August.
Officials have expressed alarm at the rapid spread of the infection. For the two-week period that ended Thursday in Los Angeles County, the average daily cases over a seven-day period jumped 102%, from more than 1,600 cases per day to nearly 3,300 cases per day . If the number of new daily coronavirus cases on Friday, Saturday and Sunday remains the same as Thursday, LA County could cross a red line as early as Sunday, which would put the region on the verge of a new order to stay at the House.
It has not yet been decided whether such a new stay-at-home order would happen automatically or wait for a few days, said Dr Muntu Davis, LA County health official. A new lockdown measure would be another blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic. Davis and others have said they want to keep businesses open, but may not have a choice if epidemics cannot be slowed down otherwise.
“At this point, no one should yet underestimate the spread of this virus, nor question the actions we still need to slow the spread and reduce its impact on our collective health and our local economy,” Davis said. . “With the transmission of COVID-19 skyrocketing in Los Angeles County, it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.
A Times analysis found that California now averages more than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus per day over a seven-day period. California has not seen such a high daily case count since the outbreak began, even during the summer outbreak which is the deadliest period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
The new ordinance issued by the California Department of Public Health will ban most non-essential activities outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties at the strictest level of the roadmap of the reopening of the state – the purple level. The restriction goes into effect Saturday and lasts until December 21, although it can be extended.
“The virus is spreading at a rate that we have not seen since the start of this pandemic and the next few days and weeks will be critical in stopping the outbreak. We are sounding the alarm, ”Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “It is essential that we take action to reduce transmission and slow hospitalizations before the number of deaths increases. We have done it before and we must do it again.
About 94% of Californians – 37 million people – live in counties that belong to the purple level, which has forced many businesses to suspend or severely restrict the number of customers allowed inside.
“We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the outbreak. We need to be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distant during this critical time. Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives at risk and cripple our health care system, ”said Dr Erica Pan, the state’s acting public health official.
The restrictions are different from the statewide stay-at-home order published by Newsom in mid-March, in that they focus more on reducing late-night alcohol use and group gatherings. Californians in affected counties will still be allowed overnight do the grocery shopping, walk the dog, picking up take-out orders from restaurants, seeing doctors or other health care providers and other essential service providers.
Dr Mark Ghaly, Secretary of State for Health and Human Services, said the limited stay-at-home order focuses on the end of the night, as this is a time when people tend to come together and let your guard down, whether at home gatherings or elsewhere.
Bars and restaurants are places that can easily spread the coronavirus, by talking and even breathing. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that adults who tested positive for the coronavirus were about twice as likely to have reported eating at a restaurant than those who tested negative.
Even though people standing at these times tend to be younger – and less susceptible to the ravages of COVID-19 – they can still contract the virus and infect others without showing symptoms, Ghaly said. Eating and drinking in groups increases the risk of spread since people have to remove their masks to ingest or imbibe.
“COVID can go from zero to 60. Very quickly. And it’s true, we’ve seen it all over the country, ”Ghaly told reporters at an afternoon press conference, warning that more restrictions are possible. “Today’s actions are an important step, but not the only one. And as the transmission rate increases, I think we will too.
While accepting an award this week from San Jose State University, Dr.Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease specialist, said a policy of ordering the early closure of bars and restaurants restaurants had helped control the pandemic in other countries.
“When you look at what happens when you arrive late at night, people let their guard down, people maybe drink a little too much, people hang out in crowded places,” Fauci said. A public policy decision to shorten these hours of operation to control the pandemic is sound, he added.
Newsom was noticeably absent from Thursday’s press conference, a departure from its usual practice of making major announcements on the state’s response to COVID-19.
The governor announced the curfew as he faces scrutiny of their own behavior and the cases are increasing. Newsom apologized this week for attending a dinner on November 6 at the French Laundry, where he joined people from other households and several lobbyists at the upscale Napa Valley restaurant to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday close.
He said on Monday that the party was held “in the open air,” a description that was contradicted when footage of the event surfaced the next day.
The reaction from the restaurant industry was mixed on Thursday, with some critical but others favorable.
Everardo Santiago, owner of Inglewood-based El Oaxaco Taqueria y Antojitos Oaxaqueños, has said Newsom’s move could hurt him, but he approves of it nonetheless.
“If we can all cooperate right now and do things the way they should be done, it will be easier,” Santiago said.
Republicans were much more critical.
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones has said he will refuse to enforce the new order.
“The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office will not determine – including entering a home or business – compliance or enforcement of any health or emergency ordinances related to curfews, staying home, Thanksgiving or other social gatherings inside or outside the home, maximum occupancy, or warrant masks, ”Jones said in a statement.
Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who filed legal action challenging one of Newsom’s previous coronavirus orders as unconstitutional, said the new action “would further decimate ailing businesses”.
“The governor likes to boast that his actions are scientifically motivated, but the evidence just does not support such drastic action limiting people’s freedom,” Gallagher said in a statement. “This virus does not come out suddenly at night, and there is little evidence that changing business hours has an impact.”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Democrat and a strong political ally of Newsom, praised the action announced Thursday, saying it “will save lives and bring relief to our hospitals and our healthcare system.”
Garcia is considered one of those Newsom can nominate to fill the vacant position in the US Senate which will be created when Senator Kamala Harris is sworn in as Deputy Speaker.
Authorities fear the spike in new infections may also dramatically increase hospitalizations.
Most of those who test positive will eventually recover, and many do so without needing to be admitted for professional medical care. However, Ghaly added, authorities expect around 12% of those who test positive will end up in hospitals within two to three weeks.
COVID-19-related hospitalizations have increased 63.6% over the past 14 days, reaching 4,523, he said Thursday. The number of intensive care patients, 1,155, is 40.5% higher than two weeks ago.
Los Angeles County officials sounded the alarm on Wednesday, saying unless things change, demand for local hospitals and intensive care beds could soon exceed supply.
LA County began ordering non-essential restaurants and stores to close to the public at 10 p.m. on Friday, although take-out and delivery services may continue after that time. The county also placed a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings – a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households.
If the county averages 4,000 cases per day over a five-day period, officials would halt alfresco dining at restaurants, giving restaurants back delivery and take-out-only service for the first time since May.
If new cases worsen further, averaging 4,500 cases per day over a five-day period, the county would impose a new home support order that would typically only allow essential workers and people receiving essential services to leaving their homes, and a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew that exempts only essential workers.
Willon and Luna reported from Sacramento, Lin from San Francisco and Money from Los Angeles. Times editors Sean Greene, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Andy Roberson contributed to this report.
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