California: millions told to 'shelter-in-place' to stop spread of coronavirus
San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties in California have ordered all residents to shelter-in-place to curb the spread of coronavirus, in a drastic move similar to ones taken in Italy, Spain and China, but the first of its kind in the US.
The order came Monday following a 14% increase in positive coronavirus cases in California, with 335 reported and six deaths. More than a third of all positive cases were in Santa Clara county, the home of Silicon Valley, as well as two deaths. San Francisco has had 40 positive cases.
More than 6.7 million people live in San Francisco and the five counties issuing this order – Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The order does not confine residents to their home unless they have permission to leave, as the lockdown orders in Italy and China do, but directs them to stay inside unless absolutely necessary.
Residents can go to the grocery store, the laundromat, the doctor and to perform essential work, as well as to engage in outdoor exercise that complies with social distancing requirements.
“The most important thing you can do is remain home as much as possible,” London Breed, the San Francisco mayor, said in a tweet. “There is no need to rush out for food or supplies, as these stores will remain open. We’ll meet this challenge and we’ll get through it together.”
Related: California governor directs all bars and nightclubs to close as coronavirus spreads
Last week, the California governor, Gavin Newsom, recommended that all gatherings of 250 or more be postponed or rescheduled, and Santa Clara county and San Francisco promptly issued orders canceling or postponing all gatherings of 100 or more. Now all non-essential gatherings of any size are prohibited, as well as with non-essential travel “on foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile or public transit”.
Under the order, essential travel is categorized as traveling for necessary supplies, accessing healthcare or going to provide aid to family or friends. Airports, taxis and public transit will continue running, but only for essential travel. Those using any mode of travel are expected to practice social distancing.
The order requests that the sheriff and chief of police “ensure compliance with and enforce this order” – but what that means exactly is not specified.
On Sunday, Newsom directed the closure of all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs in the state and called for all seniors age 65 years or older to stay in home isolation.
Eric Garcetti, the Los Angeles mayor, took the guidelines a step further and ordered the closure of all bars and nightclubs that do not serve food, as well as all movie theaters, gyms, fitness centers, arcades, live performance venues and bowling alleys. All restaurants were also prohibited from allowing dining in.
On Monday, 85% of California’s students were out of school, with 51% of the state’s public school districts closed to prevent the spread of the virus.
More details soon …
