California Gov Newsom orders bars & restaurants to CLOSE after virus surge & creates ‘strike teams’ to enforce
CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom had created “strike teams” to make sure businesses throughout the state remain closed, as the state grapples with skyrocketing coronavirus infections.
Newsom made the announcement on Wednesday after the Golden State reported a nearly 50 percent increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.
The governor said bars must close down both their indoor and outdoor operations, and indoor dining at restaurants is no longer allowed in 19 counties for three weeks.
“The bottom line is the spread of this virus continues at a rate that is particularly concerning,” Newsom told reporters.
While the state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, virus-related hospitalizations have increased 43 percent over the past two weeks, startling officials.
Indoor operations at restaurants, wineries, and tasting rooms, family entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos, museums, and cardroom gambling businesses must close down.
Newsom didn’t order beaches to close, but said that parking lots at all beaches in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay area would close to limit crowds.
State parks — which include some beaches — will remain open, but with measures in place to reduce overcrowding.
The updated stay-at-home order affects 19 counties that have been on the state’s monitoring list because of an increasing number of cases for three straight days.
Newsom’s new restrictions take effect immediately, and will last at least for the next three weeks.
On Tuesday, Newsom state officials will be looking at the health orders “more broadly, beyond the Fourth of July.”
Newsom said the new business closure order applies to counties that have been on the state’s monitoring list because of increasing coronavirus cases for three consecutive days: Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
The strike teams that Newsom said will enforce business closure will target “non-compliant workplaces.”
The teams will include members from the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and California Highway Patrol, among other departments.
Newsom suggested that state officials would first try to convince businesses that weren’t complying with the new restrictions to cooperate instead of penalizing them.
“It’s more education. I’m not coming out with a fist,” Newson said. “We want not come out with an open heart, recognizing the magnitude of some of these modifications.”
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Many local governments throughout California have delaying reopening or increased restrictions as the number of cases continues to rise.
Los Angeles County officials ordered all county beaches closed from Friday, July 3 through Monday, July 6.
As of Wednesday, California had reported more than 232,000 coronavirus cases and over 6,100 deaths.