Regional stay-at-home order looms for Southern California as coronavirus cases shatter records
A regional stay-at-home order is set to take effect Sunday night amid a surge of coronavirus cases that have gripped virtually all of California.
In Los Angeles County, infections and hospitalizations continued to shatter daily records for the fourth time in five days, CBS Los Angeles reports. As of Saturday, 8,948 people tested positive in the county for COVID-19, resulting in 44 deaths, and nearly 2,769 people remain hospitalized. ICU capacity has dropped below the state's 15% threshold, to 12.5%. As a result, California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed a new stay-at-home order set to begin before midnight to slow the spread.
The order will remain in effect until at least December 28 for Southern California, and will result in the closure of personal care services such as nail and hair salons and barbershops, as well as the closure of bars and wineries. The order also closes indoor and outdoor playgrounds, museums, zoos, cardrooms, live audience sports and amusement parks.
The region will be eligible to exit from the order if ICU capacity projections for the following month are above or equal to 15%, according to the state. The counties under the mandate will include Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.
Schools with waivers can stay open, along with other "critical infrastructure" and retail stores at 20% of capacity. Restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery service only.
Most of the health orders will rely on personal responsibility, such as not gathering with people outside of one's household.
Ahead of the order Sunday night, the city of Pasadena, which has its own public health department separate of Los Angeles County, said that it will require restaurants there to end outdoor dining to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
"It is devastating to see the rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, and our Public Health Department is in constant contact with Huntington Hospital and other health care facilities to monitor the situation. The governor's order supersedes the city's authority and is based on the need for regional and statewide control to address this pandemic," said City Manager Steve Mermell.
"We are sorry for the impact of the state health order on our retail businesses, our personal care service providers, on our restaurants who can no longer undertake outdoor dining, and on all of us. But given the gravity of the situation, an approach of this magnitude appears necessary," Mermell added, according to CBS LA.
Peter Martinez contributed to this report.
