Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday unveiled the structure of a new regional stay-at-home order due to skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 in California.
The order will be enacted for three weeks in regions where ICU capacity falls below 15 percent. The regions are the Bay Area, greater Sacramento, Northern California, Southern California and San Joaquin Valley. Newsom said that no regions have been placed into the regional stay-at-home order at this time. The order will go into place once that 15 percent threshold is met.
Once that happens, hair salons, personal services and bars will all be closed, while retail stores will be limited to 20 percent capacity. Schools will remain open. Restaurants may stay open for takeout and delivery.
All nonessential travel is now temporarily restricted statewide, the governor added.
“If we don’t act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed … we’ll continue to see a death rate climb,” Newsom said. “Remember: This is temporary. Hope is on the way. Relief is on the way. A vaccine is coming — with first doses arriving in the next few weeks. We can get through this — together.”
California on Wednesday reported more than 20,000 new novel coronavirus cases, the most ever in a single day.
While talking about the initial rounds of a vaccine on the way to the state, Newsom noted that the wealthy and famous will not be allowed to cut in line. The first doses will be doled out to high-risk groups including front-line medical workers. Newsom later tweeted that the state will be receiving 327,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in mid-December.
On Wednesday night, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a city order, telling people to remain home.
“My message couldn’t be simpler. It’s time to hunker down. It’s time to cancel everything. And if it isn’t essential, don’t do it,” the mayor said. “Don’t meet up with others outside your household. Don’t host a gathering. Don’t attend a gathering. And following our targeted ‘Safer at Home’ order, if you’re able to stay home, stay home.”
Film and television production is seemingly not impacted, as it is largely considered “essential” work. The Wednesday night Los Angeles stay-at-home order includes production as exempt from new business restrictions.
VACCINE UPDATE: CA will be receiving 327k doses of the new Pfizer #COVID19 vaccine in mid December.
The Drafting Guidelines Workgroup & Community Advisory Committee have now finalized recommendations for who will receive these initial doses.
We have prioritized into 3 tiers:
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 3, 2020
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