CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (Matt Gush/Shutterstock).
Orange County and the rest of Southern California faces more restrictions on businesses and day-to-day activities as the state grapples with spiking instances not only of new coronavirus cases but also steadily rising numbers of hospitalizations and occupancy of intensive care units.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a statewide televised event Thursday afternoon, announced a new regional “stay-at-home” order which will kick in when any of the state’s five regions – such as Southern California – sees its projected ICU capacity fall below 15 percent.
“The bottom line is that is if we don’t act now,” said Newsom, “our hospital system will be overwhelmed. If we don’t act now, we’ll continue to see the death rate climb, more lives lost.”
In the previous 24 hours, he said, 113 deaths from COVID-19 were reported.
Such an order is expected to hit the OC within a week. It would prohibit private gatherings of any size, close operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100 percent masking and physical distancing.
That order, if and when it comes, would be in effect for a minimum of three weeks. After that, the order would be lifted when the ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15 percent.
- indoor and outdoor playgrounds
- indoor recreational facilities
- hair salons and barber shops
- personal care services
- museums, zoos and aquariums
- movie theaters
- wineries
- bars, breweries and distilleries
- family entertainment centers
- cardrooms and satellite wagering
- live audience sports
- amusement parks.
Retail stores and shopping centers will be allowed to operate at 20 percent capacity. Restaurants may be open only for take-out, pick-up or delivery. Worship services and political expression activities must be conducted outdoors only.
Generally speaking, schools that are already open, in compliance with mandated measures and with low percentages of coronavirus infection will remain open.
For more details, go to: https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/ .
