LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The governor on Thursday took another action he says is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, a limited stay at home order during nighttime hours that will impact counties that already are under the most stringent restrictions but so far does not apply to Lake County.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order prohibits nonessential businesses and personal gatherings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. beginning Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 p.m.
“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” said Gov. Newsom. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”
Newsom’s office said this is the same as the March stay at home order which impacted the entire state, but this new order will only apply in counties that are in the purple tier of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
The counties in the purple tier, the blueprint’s most restrictive, are seeing the highest rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.
As of Thursday, 42 of the state’s 48 counties are in the purple tier.
Lake County remains in the red tier, the second most restrictive. It’s among 10 counties in that tier.
Another six counties are in the lowest tiers, orange and yellow.
Newsom said this new limited stay at home order is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission.
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 wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance, the Governor’s Office said.
“We know from our stay at home order this spring, which flattened the curve in California, that reducing the movement and mixing of individuals dramatically decreases COVID-19 spread, hospitalizations, and deaths,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “We may need to take more stringent actions if we are unable to flatten the curve quickly. Taking these hard, temporary actions now could help prevent future shutdowns.”
“We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge. We must be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distanced during this critical time. Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives in danger and cripple our health care system,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s acting Public Health officer. “It is especially important that we band together to protect those most vulnerable around us as well as essential workers who are continuing their critical work amidst this next wave of widespread community transmission across the state. Together we prevented a public health crisis in the spring and together we can do it again.”
COVID-19 case rates increased by approximately 50 percent in California during the first week of November.
As a result, Gov. Newsom and California’s public health officials have announced a list of measures to protect Californians and the state’s health care system, which could experience an unprecedented surge if cases continue their steep climb.
On Monday, the state pulled an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy putting more than 94 percent of California’s population in the most restrictive tier.
The state will reassess data continuously and move more counties back into a more restrictive tier, if necessary.
California is also strengthening its face-covering guidance to require individuals to wear a mask whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions.
Late last week, the state issued a travel advisory, along with Oregon and Washington, urging people entering the state or returning home from travel outside the state to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus.
The travel advisory urges against non-essential out-of-state travel, asks people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourages residents to stay local.
As for travel on the state’s highways at this time, newly sworn-in California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray said Thursday that her agency’s mission remains unchanged.
“CHP officers will continue to patrol throughout California and use their sound professional judgment to conduct enforcement stops for violations of the law based upon probable cause,” Ray said.
“As always, CHP officers will have the discretion to take appropriate action when a violation is observed,” she added.
State issues limited stay at home order to slow spread of COVID-19; order applies to purple tier counties
- Lake County News reports
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