All indoor businesses, which include churches, in 30 counties are now closed in the state of California according to a new order by Governor Gavin Newsom. On Monday, Newsom cited the surge of COVID-19 cases and increased hospitalizations as reason for the closures, according to CBNC.
These businesses include indoor operations for fitness centers, churches, personal care services, malls, offices, hair salons and barber shops to close. These counties account for 80% of the state’s population and had been on the state’s monitoring list for three or more consecutive days. The counties include Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties.
In addition, all restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, zoos, museums, and bars statewide must shutter their doors. Newsom granted allowance to all businesses, except bars, to meet outside if possible.
“We’re seeing an increase in the spread of the virus, so that’s why it’s incumbent upon all of us to recognize soberly that COVID-19 is not going away any time soon until there is a vaccine or an effective therapy,” he said, according to CBN.
The order was effective immediately on Monday and remains indefinitely.
The Los Angeles Times reported that California has recorded more than 333,000 cases of COVID-19 with more than 7,000 deaths. The state averaged 8,211 new cases a day and nearly 6,500 people were hospitalized as of Sunday.
“The data suggests not everyone is acting with common sense,” Newsom said.
The rollback is one of the largest in the country since attempting to reopen. The state’s largest school districts, Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified, also announced that schools will be meeting online in the fall.
“One fact is clear: those countries that have managed to safely reopen schools have done so with declining infection rates and on-demand testing available. California has neither,” said a statement issued by the districts.
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Mikaela Mathews is a freelance writer and editor based in Dallas, TX. She was the editor of a local magazine and a contributing writer for the Galveston Daily News and Spirit Magazine.
