Gov. Gavin Newsom has implemented a statewide stay-at-home order effective from Saturday, Nov. 21 until Dec. 21 restricting nonessential activity from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Announced Thursday, the order is intended to “reduce community spread, protect individuals at higher risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 and prevent the state’s health care delivery system from becoming overwhelmed,” according to the California Department of Public Health.
Effective in counties under tier one, or purple, of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the limited stay-at-home order will require gatherings with individuals residing in other households to cease between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., “except for those activities associated with the operation, maintenance or usage of critical infrastructure or required by law” and does not apply to those experiencing homelessness.
“This Limited Stay at Home Order will reduce opportunities for disease transmission with the goal of decreasing the number of hours individuals are in the community and mixing with individuals outside of their household,” Erica S. Pan, acting state public health officer, said in the order. “Every intervention to decrease mixing of households is critical during this unparalleled increase in case rate rise of about 50% during the first week in November. In particular, activities conducted during 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are often non-essential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings that have a higher likelihood of leading to reduced inhibition and reduced likelihood to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures, [such as] wearing face coverings and maintaining physical distance.”
Part of Los Angeles County, Long Beach remains in tier one, indicating the virus and risk level is “widespread.” Schools may not fully reopen for in-person instruction until LA County has been in the red tier, which is the tier below purple, for two full weeks, according to the blueprint.
According to the order, individuals are still permitted to leave their residence “as long as they do not engage in any interaction with or otherwise gather with any number of persons from any other household.”
“Reducing movement and mixing of individual Californians is critical to decreasing transmission, hospitalizations and deaths,” Pan said in the order.
Information regarding health and safety for those residing in LA County can be found at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/.
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