Gov. Gavin Newsom Widens California Stay-at-Home Order
Citing soaring COVID-19 case rates and the lack of hospital beds, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has widened the state’s stay-at-home order.
The order is based on a region’s available hospital capacity where ICU capacity falls below 15%. Once a region falls under the intensive care unit threshold, it will have 48 hours to comply with the order and must follow the new rules for at least three weeks. The new stay-at-home order bans nonessential gatherings and requires people to stay at home as much as possible to avoid transmitting the virus.
“The bottom line is if we don’t act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed,” Newsom said at a news conference announcing the new stay-at-home order.
Newsom announced the restrictions Thursday, three days after warning that the state’s hospital system could be overwhelmed by record numbers of COVID-19 patients. The rules will allow people to continue essential activities like