California governor Gavin Newsom issued a nightly curfew for most counties in his state as coronavirus outbreaks continued to surge.
The state on Monday moved almost all counties to the “purple tier” designation, banning indoor dining and indoor religious services, while limiting retail-store capacity to 25 percent. Newsom signed an executive order on Thursday ordering those same counties, encompassing 95 percent of the state’s population, to implement a nightly curfew.
BREAKING: @GavinNewsom issues state at home curfew for counties in purple tier, 10pm-5am, which includes Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare, Merced. pic.twitter.com/OFDxKGXSpe
— Alexan Balekian (@RealALEXAN) November 19, 2020
“In light of an unprecedented, rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across California,” the governor announced a “limited staty-at-home order” from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to a press release. The order will take effect on November 21 and end on December 21.
“Activities conducted during 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are often nonessential 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 mask-wearing and social distancing, the statement said.
California has a seven-day coronavirus positivity rate of 9,974, according to the New York Times, almost reaching the level of a rise in cases over the summer. Coronavirus outbreaks are surging across the country, with various restrictions imposed from New Jersey to Michigan to North Dakota.
Newsom was criticized earlier this week after news broke that he had attended a dinner party that apparently violated coronavirus-mitigation protocols. Photographs of the dinner showed Newsom sitting mask-less with other diners, including the CEO and top lobbyist of the California Medical Association, a trade group representing medical professionals in the state.
“I should have stood up and . . . drove back to my house. . . . The spirit of what I’m preaching all the time was contradicted,” Newsom told reporters on Monday, apologizing for the incident.
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