latimes--2020-03-19--California scrambles to shelter homeless before the coronavirus floods hospitals

Novel coronavirus and homelessness are colliding , forcing California leaders to launch the unimaginable — a massive effort to move those on the streets into hotels , motels and shelters within days to protect both them and a healthcare system that COVID-19 could soon overwhelm .
State models show that 60,000 homeless people could be hit by the novel coronavirus in the next eight weeks , with up to 20 % of them needing hospitalization .
That would mean California would need 12,000 hospital beds just for those living on the streets — a formidable task for a state that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to manage the pandemic before it ’ s too late and hospitals become overcrowded and unsafe with too many patients .
To avoid that prospect , the governor has directed local governments to procure hundreds of facilities statewide — hotels , motels , recreation centers — to house the most vulnerable .
Some cities and counties are already moving forward .
“ This is essentially a threat to the population generally , ” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , co-chair of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s statewide task force on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s certainly not for the faint of heart , but we have an obligation to address this .
Otherwise the matter worsens.
” The complications are likely to involve overcoming neighborhood resistance to emergency shelters , and encouraging homeless people to take refuge there .
Yet Newsom has argued the state has little choice but to move on the plan , and move quickly .
“ That creates a deep point of anxiety for the existing population , but moreover for our healthcare delivery system , ” Newsom said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one homeless person has already died of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County , but health officials there have not released details .
The state estimates that surge capacity in California ’ s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients .
If requests for military medical assistance are granted , including a request Thursday that the Mercy , a Navy medical ship , be deployed to Los Angeles , California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold that some models predict could be needed , Newsom said .
But with 108,000 people living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with weakened immune systems and preexisting conditions , Newsom and health officials are also dramatically stepping up efforts to curtail what was the state ’ s biggest crisis before the novel coronavirus hit : tens of thousands of people living in street encampments with poor sanitation and crowded conditions .
There is much the state does not know — including how many homeless are already infected , and how isolation measures will work in a population with many underlying problems .
But there is widening alarm about the threat to people already impaired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 , ” Newsom said .
“ Helping these residents is critical to protecting public health , flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19.
” To help accomplish that , Newsom on Wednesday announced $ 150 million in emergency funding .
The governor said $ 100 million will go directly to local jurisdictions — including Los Angeles — to boost shelter capacity and increase emergency housing .
An additional $ 50 million will be aimed at buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other facilities in an effort to provide space for those without homes to practice social distancing or be quarantined if they test positive for the virus or have symptoms of COVID-19 .
Newsom said that about 950 properties statewide had been identified , and more than 1,300 trailers had been purchased from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and private vendors to serve as isolation sites and emergency housing .
But the gargantuan effort is far from certain to work , and presents hurdles that have never been dealt with before .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have struggled to open shelters and create housing without the pressure of immediate action — often with limited success .
“ There are a lot of challenges in this idea , ” said Elizabeth Bowen , an expert on homelessness at the University at Buffalo , State University of New York .
“ We ’ ve never had to try something like this before.
” Barbara DiPietro , policy director for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council , said many contracts have already been signed with hotels and motels and facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in matter of days .
In Los Angeles , Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday the city will convert 42 of its recreation centers into temporary shelters for homeless residents , providing 6,000 new beds , as part of the effort .
The first beds in 13 recreation centers are set to open Friday .
Trent Rhorer , executive director of San Francisco ’ s Department of Human Services , said the city is adding 2,500 shelter spaces for the homeless and 3,500 hotel rooms for people who need to quarantine but have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hotel rooms will go to people who live in single-occupancy hotels with shared bathrooms and kitchens .
San Francisco has about 8,000 homeless .
Rhorer said the city expects to have leases for 500 rooms by the end of the week , and hotels with more than 2,000 rooms have expressed interest in leasing .
Bowen and others said that beyond procuring the sites , the logistics of the endeavor are daunting — moving thousands of people quickly to sites that are not yet set up to handle them .
She added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to implement social distancing and other guidance that state and federal authorities have handed down .
Now they are scrambling to handle the new model with staff and volunteers who are scared and , in some cases , not showing up .
Some have suggested that the governor call in the California National Guard to assist .
Newsom this week alerted the Guard it may be called to support local and state agencies impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent containment efforts , but has not suggested it be used for homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff in Los Angeles could be directed to assist .
“ It is a mistake to say we don ’ t have the capacity or the infrastructure , ” Ridley-Thomas said .
He added that under a state of emergency , the assignments of employees in various departments “ are readjusted and appropriately so.
” Bowen pointed out that even with resources , homeless people may not want to move , or understand the necessity .
“ A lot of homeless people ... have a distrust of authority , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , to explain to people what is happening and why they are being asked to move into a hotel , it may be hard.
” DiPietro pointed out that many on the street have mental health concerns , and some may have substance abuse issues that make it difficult for them to self-isolate .
Even if authorities manage to move unsheltered people indoors , keeping them there could prove difficult .
In Seattle , a homeless man was quarantined at a hotel but later left and got on a city bus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be successful , DiPietro said .
“ Eventually , basically your guy runs away and then you don ’ t know where he is , ” she said .
Before the coronavirus spread statewide , California faced a continuing quandary in housing the homeless : neighborhood and community resistance to creating new shelters .
Whether that changes now remains to be seen .
According to sources , a motel in Burlingame , on the San Francisco Peninsula , is one site authorities hope to use to house people .
A visit to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and workers putting in new industrial carpeting .
When asked if the motel was being prepped for use during the COVID-19 outbreak , the manager declined to either confirm or deny , shaking her head when asked if a room could be booked for the night .
In some places , mayors and local authorities have been called on to use emergency powers granted by the governor to site shelters without community consent .
Ridley-Thomas said he believed a state mandate , requiring cities to act and also granting local jurisdictions the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be necessary .
But for now , authorities are largely relying on the same message that has been used with success in social distancing : It ’ s time to think of the greater good .
“ It is imperative at this time that all steps are taken to treat and care for individuals who are sick , and decrease the further spread of infection , ” said Kate Rosenquist , a Burlingame resident and stay-at-home mother whose neighborhood may include a repurposed hotel .
“ If a hotel is empty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it only makes sense that the affected homeless are housed and treated there , ” she said .
“ Our community needs to be supportive of helping those in need during this impossible crisis.
” Times reporters David Zahniser , Laura J. Nelson and Dakota Smith contributed to this story .
Chabria reported from Sacramento , Rust from the San Francisco Peninsula and Dolan from Orinda .

Anita Chabria, Susanne Rust, Maura Dolan

Tyrone Dixon, 53, center, arrives with fellow homeless people from Skid Row via bus at the Echo Park Community Center, one of 13 Los Angeles area recreation centers that has become temporary shelters for homeless due to the growing coronavirus pandemic in Echo Park
Novel coronavirus and homelessness are colliding, forcing California leaders to launch the unimaginable — a massive effort to move those on the streets into hotels, motels and shelters within days to protect both them and a healthcare system that COVID-19 could soon overwhelm.
State models show that 60,000 homeless people could be hit by the novel coronavirus in the next eight weeks, with up to 20% of them needing hospitalization.
That would mean California would need 12,000 hospital beds just for those living on the streets — a formidable task for a state that is already struggling to find extra capacity to manage the pandemic before it’s too late and hospitals become overcrowded and unsafe with too many patients.
Advertisement
To avoid that prospect, the governor has directed local governments to procure hundreds of facilities statewide — hotels, motels, recreation centers — to house the most vulnerable. Some cities and counties are already moving forward.
“This is essentially a threat to the population generally,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, co-chair of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide task force on homelessness. “It is not uncomplicated and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but we have an obligation to address this. Otherwise the matter worsens.”
The complications are likely to involve overcoming neighborhood resistance to emergency shelters, and encouraging homeless people to take refuge there. Yet Newsom has argued the state has little choice but to move on the plan, and move quickly.
“That creates a deep point of anxiety for the existing population, but moreover for our healthcare delivery system,” Newsom said Wednesday evening. The governor earlier said that one homeless person has already died of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County, but health officials there have not released details.
The state estimates that surge capacity in California’s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients. If requests for military medical assistance are granted, including a request Thursday that the Mercy, a Navy medical ship, be deployed to Los Angeles, California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold that some models predict could be needed, Newsom said.
Advertisement
But with 108,000 people living outdoors in California, many older, with weakened immune systems and preexisting conditions, Newsom and health officials are also dramatically stepping up efforts to curtail what was the state’s biggest crisis before the novel coronavirus hit: tens of thousands of people living in street encampments with poor sanitation and crowded conditions.
A homeless man sleeps on the Main Street bridge in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times )
There is much the state does not know — including how many homeless are already infected, and how isolation measures will work in a population with many underlying problems. But there is widening alarm about the threat to people already impaired by street conditions, sickness and addiction.
“People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19,” Newsom said. “Helping these residents is critical to protecting public health, flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19.”
To help accomplish that, Newsom on Wednesday announced $150 million in emergency funding. The governor said $100 million will go directly to local jurisdictions — including Los Angeles — to boost shelter capacity and increase emergency housing.
An additional $50 million will be aimed at buying travel trailers and leasing hotels, motels and other facilities in an effort to provide space for those without homes to practice social distancing or be quarantined if they test positive for the virus or have symptoms of COVID-19.
Newsom said that about 950 properties statewide had been identified, and more than 1,300 trailers had been purchased from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and private vendors to serve as isolation sites and emergency housing.
But the gargantuan effort is far from certain to work, and presents hurdles that have never been dealt with before. For the last few years, local jurisdictions have struggled to open shelters and create housing without the pressure of immediate action — often with limited success.
“There are a lot of challenges in this idea,” said Elizabeth Bowen, an expert on homelessness at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. “We’ve never had to try something like this before.”
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Barbara DiPietro, policy director for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, said many contracts have already been signed with hotels and motels and facilities are expected to be up and running in matter of days.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday the city will convert 42 of its recreation centers into temporary shelters for homeless residents, providing 6,000 new beds, as part of the effort. The first beds in 13 recreation centers are set to open Friday.
Trent Rhorer, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Human Services, said the city is adding 2,500 shelter spaces for the homeless and 3,500 hotel rooms for people who need to quarantine but have no place to do so. Many of the hotel rooms will go to people who live in single-occupancy hotels with shared bathrooms and kitchens. San Francisco has about 8,000 homeless.
Rhorer said the city expects to have leases for 500 rooms by the end of the week, and hotels with more than 2,000 rooms have expressed interest in leasing.
Bowen and others said that beyond procuring the sites, the logistics of the endeavor are daunting — moving thousands of people quickly to sites that are not yet set up to handle them.
“Manpower is a real issue,” DiPietro said.
She added that existing shelters and providers were already struggling to implement social distancing and other guidance that state and federal authorities have handed down. Now they are scrambling to handle the new model with staff and volunteers who are scared and, in some cases, not showing up.
Some have suggested that the governor call in the California National Guard to assist. Newsom this week alerted the Guard it may be called to support local and state agencies impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent containment efforts, but has not suggested it be used for homeless efforts.
Ridley-Thomas said that existing county staff in Los Angeles could be directed to assist.
“It is a mistake to say we don’t have the capacity or the infrastructure,” Ridley-Thomas said. He added that under a state of emergency, the assignments of employees in various departments “are readjusted and appropriately so.”
Bowen pointed out that even with resources, homeless people may not want to move, or understand the necessity.
“A lot of homeless people ... have a distrust of authority,” she said. “Even during an emergency situation like this, to explain to people what is happening and why they are being asked to move into a hotel, it may be hard.”
DiPietro pointed out that many on the street have mental health concerns, and some may have substance abuse issues that make it difficult for them to self-isolate. Even if authorities manage to move unsheltered people indoors, keeping them there could prove difficult. In Seattle, a homeless man was quarantined at a hotel but later left and got on a city bus. Forcing people to move will probably not be successful, DiPietro said.
“Eventually, basically your guy runs away and then you don’t know where he is,” she said.
Before the coronavirus spread statewide, California faced a continuing quandary in housing the homeless: neighborhood and community resistance to creating new shelters.
Whether that changes now remains to be seen.
According to sources, a motel in Burlingame, on the San Francisco Peninsula, is one site authorities hope to use to house people. A visit to the motel Thursday revealed no apparent customers, and workers putting in new industrial carpeting.
When asked if the motel was being prepped for use during the COVID-19 outbreak, the manager declined to either confirm or deny, shaking her head when asked if a room could be booked for the night.
In some places, mayors and local authorities have been called on to use emergency powers granted by the governor to site shelters without community consent. Ridley-Thomas said he believed a state mandate, requiring cities to act and also granting local jurisdictions the power to force homeless people to move, may be necessary.
But for now, authorities are largely relying on the same message that has been used with success in social distancing: It’s time to think of the greater good.
“It is imperative at this time that all steps are taken to treat and care for individuals who are sick, and decrease the further spread of infection,” said Kate Rosenquist, a Burlingame resident and stay-at-home mother whose neighborhood may include a repurposed hotel.
“If a hotel is empty and the right precautions are in place, it only makes sense that the affected homeless are housed and treated there,” she said. “Our community needs to be supportive of helping those in need during this impossible crisis.”
Times reporters David Zahniser, Laura J. Nelson and Dakota Smith contributed to this story. Chabria reported from Sacramento, Rust from the San Francisco Peninsula and Dolan from Orinda.


latimes--2020-03-19--High-ranking LAPD member becomes second department official to contract coronavirus

A high-ranking member of the Los Angeles Police Department has contracted the coronavirus , marking the second time an LAPD employee has tested positive for COVID-19 this week , officials said .
In a news release issued Thursday , the LAPD said the employee began exhibiting flu-like symptoms last week .
The person , who was not identified , is expected to make a full recovery .
The person was described as a member of the “ senior staff ” in a department memo obtained by The Times .
A law enforcement source said the person is a high-ranking police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinfect the South Bureau and 77th Division on Thursday , according to the memo .
“ This is a sobering reminder that anyone is susceptible to this virus , ” the department said in a statement .
“ The LAPD encourages all Angelenos to follow local and state guidelines of hygiene and social distancing.
” Earlier this week , a supervisor in the LAPD ’ s Pacific division also tested positive for the coronavirus .
That employee is also expected to make a full recovery .
The LAPD has been taking precautions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All patrol officers and officers likely to come into contact with infected people have been issued a kit consisting of multiple sets of gloves , a mask and goggles .
Officers are directed to use all three items when responding to a call or having contact with a possible virus patient .

A high-ranking member of the Los Angeles Police Department has contracted the coronavirus, marking the second time an LAPD employee has tested positive for COVID-19 this week, officials said.
In a news release issued Thursday, the LAPD said the employee began exhibiting flu-like symptoms last week. The person, who was not identified, is expected to make a full recovery.
The person was described as a member of the “senior staff” in a department memo obtained by The Times. A law enforcement source said the person is a high-ranking police official.
Advertisement
Cleaning crews were dispatched to disinfect the South Bureau and 77th Division on Thursday, according to the memo.
“This is a sobering reminder that anyone is susceptible to this virus,” the department said in a statement. “The LAPD encourages all Angelenos to follow local and state guidelines of hygiene and social distancing.”
Earlier this week, a supervisor in the LAPD’s Pacific division also tested positive for the coronavirus. That employee is also expected to make a full recovery.
The LAPD has been taking precautions to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. All patrol officers and officers likely to come into contact with infected people have been issued a kit consisting of multiple sets of gloves, a mask and goggles. Officers are directed to use all three items when responding to a call or having contact with a possible virus patient.
Times staff writer Leila Miller contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-20--Gov. Gavin Newsom orders all Californians to stay at home

Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered Californians to stay at home , marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state ’ s fight against the novel coronavirus .
The governor ’ s action comes at a critical time in California , where 19 people have died and at least 1,000 have tested positive for the disease , and it appeared to be the most far-reaching directive of any issued by states battling the epidemic .
The mandatory order allows Californians to continue to visit gas stations , pharmacies , grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , convenience stores , takeout and delivery restaurants , banks and laundromats .
People can leave their homes to care for a relative or a friend or seek healthcare services .
It exempts workers in 16 federal critical infrastructure sectors , including food and agriculture , healthcare , transportation , energy , financial services , emergency response and others .
Newsom asked Californians to practice social distancing when performing such “ necessary activities.
” “ We ’ re going to keep the grocery stores open , ” he said .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re getting critical medical supplies .
You can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog.
” No time frame was set for when the order would end .
It was unclear exactly how far the order would reach in communities where some operations , such as schools , have not been closed down .
Officials hope telling people to stay home and restrict social interactions will slow the spread of the virus and ultimately prevent hospitals from being overrun with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents to stay at home marks the strongest escalation of the Newsom administration ’ s response to the virus and an unprecedented action in modern California history .
“ A state as large as ours , a nation-state , is many parts , but at the end of the day , we ’ re one body .
There ’ s a mutuality , there ’ s a recognition of our interdependence that requires of this moment that we direct a statewide order for people to stay at home , ” Newsom said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect this evening and we are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it , will do the right thing.
” Those who don ’ t abide by the order , administration officials said , could be subject to a misdemeanor .
The extraordinary action comes as Newsom offered a grim projection about the toll the novel coronavirus might take on California .
He asked Congress on Thursday for $ 1 billion in federal funds to support the state ’ s medical response to COVID-19 , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of all Californians .
The state projects that 25.5 million people in California will be infected over an eight-week period , Newsom said in a letter sent to President Trump on Wednesday requesting the deployment of the U.S. Navy ’ s Mercy hospital ship to the Port of Los Angeles through Sept. 1 .
In a separate letter sent to the leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives , Newsom said the financial aid is crucial to the state ’ s ability to procure ventilators and other medical supplies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and meet other healthcare needs .
“ The economic disruption caused by this public health crisis will have immediate and devastating effects on our entire country , including too many families in California , ” Newsom wrote .
“ The magnitude of this crisis is extraordinary and federal-state-local government coordination will be more critical than ever before.
” The governor ’ s office declined to provide to The Times an explanation of the state ’ s projection that 25.5 million Californians will be infected with this virus .
Instead , a spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mitigation efforts could lower that estimate .
“ Gov .
Newsom has been honest about the threat of the virus and its impact on the health and welfare of Californians , ” said Nathan Click , a spokesman for Newsom .
“ This projection shows why it ’ s so critical that Californians take action to slow the spread of the disease — and those mitigation efforts aren ’ t taken into account in those numbers .
The state is deploying every resource at its disposal to meet this challenge , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s assistance in this fight.
” In a briefing Wednesday , the governor said the Navy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals would help the state care for an anticipated surge in patients .
The governor said the state would need roughly 20,000 more beds if more than half of Californians come down with the coronavirus .
“ That ’ s just one scenario plan .
There ’ s others that are more modest .
Some may , some cases [ may ] be more extreme , ” Newsom said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an additional [ 19,000 ] to 20,000 beds in your system , you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system , and you have to look at procuring additional assets.
” The governor ’ s secretary of health and human services , Dr. Mark Ghaly , offered only a brief explanation Thursday of the methodology that went into the state ’ s projection of 25.5 million infected Californians , saying it was arrived at in consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We feel like we are well prepared because of that planning , ” Ghaly said .
The tens of millions of COVID-19 cases the Newsom administration is modeling represent an exponentially faster rate of spread than has been seen in other countries .
Worldwide , there are about 245,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections since the outbreak began late last year .
Though testing in California and the United States is still in its beginning phases , reaching 25.5 million positives in eight weeks would exceed even Italy ’ s rate of infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million have tested positive , though that rate is still in flux .
Dr. Karen Smith , a communicable disease expert and former director of the California Department of Public Health , said it ’ s difficult to determine how many people will be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 because so much remains unknown about the novel coronavirus .
But Smith , who is advising the response to the pandemic in Santa Clara and Mendocino counties , said the virus is spreading so rapidly that it ’ s time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that go beyond actions some counties have taken .
Before Thursday , Newsom had recommended that bars , restaurant dining rooms and other businesses shutter and left legal orders up to the discretion of county officials , who he has argued are in the best position to determine the appropriate response in their communities .
Smith said the patchwork approach no longer works at this stage in the fight against the virus .
“ I personally think that it will be more effective if it is done statewide than if it is done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There are some counties that aren ’ t doing anything , but it ’ s going to leak and it ’ s going to leak faster if the mitigation stops at some arbitrary boundary.
” She said even some counties that have adopted mandatory closures are allowing too many types of businesses to stay open .
Absent mandatory requirements , she said , residents aren ’ t taking recommendations seriously enough .
“ One way to get their attention is to mandate that all of those businesses close and they stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s hard and it ’ s going to hurt people and it ’ s going to hurt our most vulnerable people a lot , but so will not doing anything .
This is unprecedented , and it takes a long time for people to really get it.
” The governor ’ s request for additional federal funds came three days after lawmakers at the state Capitol approved a plan to spend as much as $ 1 billion on the state ’ s emergency medical response to the pandemic in anticipation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic governor also requested an expansion of unemployment insurance benefits beyond the 26-week maximum and more funding for Medicaid , federal food assistance , housing and homelessness , state-subsidized early learning and child care and several other safety net programs .
Newsom ’ s letter to Congress called for support for small businesses , including rental assistance , zero-interest loans and direct cash assistance , and the creation of a new U.S. Treasury Authority to provide guaranteed loans .
With many schools closed across the state and teachers struggling to implement online and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked for an expansion of technology investments for schools , an increase in Title I funding for schools with a high concentration of poverty , broadband internet upgrades , grants for teachers to adapt to digital-age instruction and more money for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs .
“ The challenges we face as elected leaders in this crisis are immense , ” Newsom wrote .
“ Working together , I am confident that we can meet this moment and take the necessary and immediate steps to address our economic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and begin to recover from — this unprecedented crisis.
” Times staff writers John Myers , Anita Chabria , Matt Stiles , Soumya Karlamangla and Emily Baumgaertner contributed to this report .

One day after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced extraordinary measures directing all Californians to stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, Los Angeles County confirmed 61 new coronavirus cases, including 12 people in Long Beach and two in Pasadena. The new cases bring the county’s total to 292 amid the growing outbreak.
The median age for the total of those who have been infected is 47, county Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said. There are 138 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who have tested positive.
“The risk is spread across everyone,” Ferrer said at a briefing Friday.
Advertisement
1 / 29 Workers at the Ralphs grocery store in Westchester measure out social distancing guidelines for its customers with markers every six feet and limiting the number of customers it allows in to shop. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 29 At Echo Park Lake, friends gather with their dogs and enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the park. Social distancing and home isolation remain in effect due to the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole/Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 29 During the coronavirus pandemic, people continue to walk and ride their bikes along the path at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 29 People run and walk on the Veterans Parkway in Manhattan Beach even with signage saying the space is closed to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. (Dania Maxwell/Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 29 Jesus Mendoza sells roses on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles. Mendoza said his business was overwhelmed by hundred of boxes of roses they could not sell. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 29 Riverside County medical personnel administer a coronavirus test to a driver at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 29 Drivers line-up to get a coronavirus test administered by Riverside County medical personnel at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Those tested have symptoms or have had a risk of exposure. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 29 Xiao Ping, holding a tray of eggs, looks back at the long line of egg buyers on Saturda morning in Chino. Spooked by coronavirus people from nearby Inland Empire cities started lining up early morning at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 29 Spooked by coronavirus fears, people from nearby Inland Empire cities lined-up to buy eggs at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 29 The sparsely trafficked intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles is seen in a drone image. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 29 School buses sit idle since all schools have been closed in Los Angeles County. The image was taken by drone. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 29 In this drone image, the Westfield Topanga mall parking lot sits empty, as new regulations have closed all indoor shopping centers in Canoga Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 29 Vehicles flow smoothly along Interstate 5 and the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles in this drone image. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 29 The city of Santa Monica has closed the Santa Monica Pier, and few people were on the beach Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 29 Shops are shuttered on historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 29 The intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 29 Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 29 Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 29 On the first day of L.A.’s ‘Safer at Home,” most major avenues and streets in downtown Los Angeles have very little traffic. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 29 Empty streets in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 29 The main entrance to Union Station is closed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 29 Union Station was restricted to only ticketed passenger and main entrance closed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 29 Commuter protect themselves with a face mask while riding a bus at El Monte Metro Station. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 29 Salvation Army volunteer Christina Cuevas sets up cots for homeless at Westwood Recreation Center in Westwood. (Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 29 Popular shopping destination Rodeo Drive is all but deserted as retail shops are shuttered in Beverly Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 29 The Apple store is among all the stores which have closed during the coronavirus outbreak in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 29 With all the stores closed, Fashion Island is a ghost town except for an occasional customer getting food for take-out Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 29 People walk the beach, but maintain “social distancing” during the coronavirus outbreak at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 29 During the coronavirus epidemic people continue to walk, ride thier bikes, and play basketball at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
So far, about 2,400 people have been tested in L.A. County. Roughly 10% of those have tested positive, health officials said.
Asked why someone would be denied testing for the coronavirus and who ultimately makes the decision in L.A. County, Ferrer said an individual would need to go to a medical provider, who would then authorize a test.
“Don’t go to a hospital to get tested,” she said.
Officials also announced that the Sheraton Fairplex in Pomona will serve those who need to be quarantined. More than 200 rooms will be available for people who will be provided space on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals who have tested positive for the virus, are showing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with the virus will be given priority.
Additional deaths were reported Friday across the state. Contra Costa County announced its first death related to the virus: a person in their 70s who had an underlying medical condition and had recently traveled to Europe. The patient died Thursday in an undisclosed hospital.
Advertisement
And Riverside County reported its fourth death, the 21st in California since the coronavirus outbreak began. Information about the person who died wasn’t immediately available.
Santa Clara County announced two additional deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing its total to eight.
The number of reported cases continues to rise across the state. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed Friday that an employee at California State Prison in Sacramento and an employee at San Quentin State Prison have both tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. But the agency said there are no confirmed cases among inmates.
Some 1,800 prisoners at San Quentin have been on lockdown most of the week after several inmates developed flu-like symptoms. The Corrections Department has not released the results of testing of those, or any other, prison inmates.
In Irvine, a firefighter at Station 4 tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the Orange County Fire Authority to place 24 additional firefighters with whom he had contact in self-isolation.
The firefighter had no known contact with a positive individual and is already feeling better, Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said.
Having 25 firefighters out could impact the department, but should not have a huge effect on a department of 1,100, Fennessy said.
A veteran tested positive at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Wednesday. The person, who was admitted after coming into the emergency room, is being cared for in isolation, and the risk of transmission to other patients and staff is low, said Steve Ruh, chief of communications for the VA Greater L.A. Healthcare System. The VA is screening veterans and staffers and isolating those found to be at risk, Ruh said.
In San Diego County, a third cluster of COVID-19 patients was announced Thursday, as the local count of virus cases jumped from 80 to 105 and efforts to house vulnerable people in local hotels progressed.
To deal with a possible surge in coronavirus patients, the state plans to lease beds at a Northern California hospital and skilled nursing facility that were facing closure. California will lease the 357-bed Seton Medical Center in Daly City and 116-bed Seton Coastside in Moss Beach, the National Union of Healthcare Workers said in a news release.
In the meantime, Yosemite National Park shut down to all visitors on Friday. No access to the park will be permitted until further notice.
Amid the continuing spread, Newsom on Thursday ordered Californians to stay at home, marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state’s fight against the novel coronavirus.
Top federal officials applauded the decision at a White House press briefing Friday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that he “strongly” supported the move by Newsom, as well as a similar directive by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and urged residents of the two hard-hit states to heed the new orders.
President Trump also praised Newsom and Cuomo, saying, “I applaud them” for “taking very bold steps” to limit activities in their states.
Newsom’s action comes at a critical time in California, where more than 1,000 people have tested positive for the disease, and it appeared to be the most far-reaching directive of any issued by states battling the epidemic.
The mandatory order allows Californians to continue to visit gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats. People can leave their homes to care for a relative or a friend or seek healthcare services.
It exempts workers in 16 federal critical infrastructure sectors, including food and agriculture, healthcare, transportation, energy, financial services, emergency response and others.
1 / 44 The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 44 Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 44 People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 44 David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 44 Dr. Dallas Weaver, 79, and his wife, Janet Weaver, 75, of Huntington Beach, walk on the Huntington pier. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 44 Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 44 Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 44 Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 44 HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 44 Medical personnel screen patients outside the emergency room at Loma Linda University Health during the coronavirus pandemic. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 44 A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 44 An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 44 Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 44 Orange County Undersheriff Bob Peterson listens during a board of supervisors discussion on combating the coronavirus in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 44 A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 44 Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 44 Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 44 Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 44 Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 44 Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) 23 / 44 From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 44 Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 44 L.A. has banned restaurants from offering seating at places such as Grand Central Market. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 44 Carlos Perez, a worker at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles sits in the empty restaurant. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 44 A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times) 28 / 44 A guest wears a mask in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 44 Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 44 Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 44 Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times ) 32 / 44 Alexandria Casserly crosses the street while looking for toilet paper in downtown Los Angeles. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 44 A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 44 Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 44 Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 44 People shop at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 44 Disneyland guests take photos in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 44 Airline workers take precautions at Tom Bradley International Terminal in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 44 An airport worker cleans a railing at Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 44 Two people arrive at Knott’s Berry Farm on Thursday in Buena Park. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 44 Cab drivers wait for riders at the Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 42 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 43 / 44 A woman claims her luggage at he Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 44 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Newsom asked Californians to practice social distancing when performing such “necessary activities.”
“We’re going to keep the grocery stores open,” he said. “We’re going to make sure that you’re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog.”
No time frame was set for when the order would end. It was unclear exactly how far the order would reach in communities where some operations, such as schools, have not been closed down.
Officials hope telling people to stay home and restrict social interactions will slow the spread of the virus and ultimately prevent hospitals from being overrun with sick patients. The demand of all residents to stay at home marks the strongest escalation of the Newsom administration’s response to the virus and an unprecedented action in modern California history.
“A state as large as ours, a nation-state, is many parts, but at the end of the day, we’re one body. There’s a mutuality, there’s a recognition of our interdependence that requires of this moment that we direct a statewide order for people to stay at home,” Newsom said. “That directive goes into force and effect this evening and we are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it, will do the right thing.”
Those who don’t abide by the order, administration officials said, could be subject to a misdemeanor citation.
Ventura County issued its own “stay well at home” order Friday, with certain exceptions for essential activities.
Like Newsom’s mandatory statewide stay-at-home order, the Ventura County order emphasizes that people may leave their homes to exercise. The Ventura County order is more specific, however, and says residents can engage in physical activity by themselves or with members of their household, such as walking, running, bicycling or working around their places of residence, including gardening, but they should keep six feet away from anyone outside of their household.
The order prohibits all travel except for essential reasons, such as caring for family or household members, obtaining medical supplies or visiting a healthcare professional, or obtaining food.
Those working for healthcare operations or essential infrastructure, such as utilities, military bases, roads and highways and those constructing housing, are exempt.
And the city of Los Angeles issued its own restrictive order, requiring all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
“All businesses, including museums, malls, retail stores, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, must stop operations that require workers to be present in person,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed, with clear exceptions.”
Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs, including getting food; caring for a relative, friend or child; getting necessary healthcare; or going for a walk in the neighborhood.
The extraordinary action comes as Newsom offered a grim projection about the toll the novel coronavirus might take on California. He asked Congress on Thursday for $1 billion in federal funds to support the state’s medical response to COVID-19, which he said he expects will infect more than half of all Californians.
The state projects that 25.5 million people in California will be infected over an eight-week period, Newsom said in a letter sent to Trump on Wednesday requesting the deployment of the U.S. Navy’s Mercy hospital ship to the Port of Los Angeles through Sept. 1.
In a separate letter sent to the leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Newsom said the financial aid is crucial to the state’s ability to procure ventilators and other medical supplies, activate state-run hospitals, deploy mobile hospitals and meet other healthcare needs.
“The economic disruption caused by this public health crisis will have immediate and devastating effects on our entire country, including too many families in California,” Newsom wrote. “The magnitude of this crisis is extraordinary and federal-state-local government coordination will be more critical than ever before.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s letter to President Donald Trump on coronavirus assistance Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President Trump on March 19 seeking assistance with the fight against coronavirus.
The governor’s office declined to provide to The Times an explanation of the state’s projection that 25.5 million Californians will be infected with this virus. Instead, a spokesman for the governor said the state’s mitigation efforts could lower that estimate.
“Gov. Newsom has been honest about the threat of the virus and its impact on the health and welfare of Californians,” said Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom. “This projection shows why it’s so critical that Californians take action to slow the spread of the disease — and those mitigation efforts aren’t taken into account in those numbers. The state is deploying every resource at its disposal to meet this challenge, and we continue to ask for the federal government’s assistance in this fight.”
In a briefing Wednesday, the governor said the Navy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals would help the state care for an anticipated surge in patients. The governor said the state would need roughly 20,000 more beds if more than half of Californians come down with the coronavirus.
“That’s just one scenario plan. There’s others that are more modest. Some may, some cases [may] be more extreme,” Newsom said. “When you’re looking at getting an additional [19,000] to 20,000 beds in your system, you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system, and you have to look at procuring additional assets.”
The governor’s secretary of health and human services, Dr. Mark Ghaly, offered only a brief explanation Thursday of the methodology that went into the state’s projection of 25.5 million infected Californians, saying it was arrived at in consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was developed a few weeks ago.
“We feel like we are well prepared because of that planning,” Ghaly said.
The tens of millions of COVID-19 cases the Newsom administration is modeling represent an exponentially faster rate of spread than has been seen in other countries. Worldwide, there are about 245,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections since the outbreak began late last year.
Though testing in California and the United States is still in its beginning phases, reaching 25.5 million positives in eight weeks would exceed even Italy’s rate of infection, where about 600 people per each 1 million have tested positive, though that rate is still in flux.
Dr. Karen Smith, a communicable disease expert and former director of the California Department of Public Health, said it’s difficult to determine how many people will be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 because so much remains unknown about the novel coronavirus.
But Smith, who is advising the response to the pandemic in Santa Clara and Mendocino counties, said the virus is spreading so rapidly that it’s time for Newsom to mandate statewide closures of businesses that go beyond actions some counties have taken.
Before Thursday, Newsom had recommended that bars, restaurant dining rooms and other businesses shutter and left legal orders up to the discretion of county officials, who he has argued are in the best position to determine the appropriate response in their communities.
Smith said the patchwork approach no longer works at this stage in the fight against the virus.
“I personally think that it will be more effective if it is done statewide than if it is done county by county,” Smith said. “There are some counties that aren’t doing anything, but it’s going to leak and it’s going to leak faster if the mitigation stops at some arbitrary boundary.”
She said even some counties that have adopted mandatory closures are allowing too many types of businesses to stay open. Absent mandatory requirements, she said, residents aren’t taking recommendations seriously enough.
“One way to get their attention is to mandate that all of those businesses close and they stay home,” Smith said. “It’s hard and it’s going to hurt people and it’s going to hurt our most vulnerable people a lot, but so will not doing anything. This is unprecedented, and it takes a long time for people to really get it.”
The governor’s request for additional federal funds came three days after lawmakers at the state Capitol approved a plan to spend as much as $1 billion on the state’s emergency medical response to the pandemic in anticipation of a surge in sick patients.
The Democratic governor also requested an expansion of unemployment insurance benefits beyond the 26-week maximum and more funding for Medicaid, federal food assistance, housing and homelessness, state-subsidized early learning and child care and several other safety net programs.
Newsom’s letter to Congress called for support for small businesses, including rental assistance, zero-interest loans and direct cash assistance, and the creation of a new U.S. Treasury Authority to provide guaranteed loans.
With many schools closed across the state and teachers struggling to implement online and alternative learning programs, the governor also asked for an expansion of technology investments for schools, an increase in Title I funding for schools with a high concentration of poverty, broadband internet upgrades, grants for teachers to adapt to digital-age instruction and more money for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs.
“The challenges we face as elected leaders in this crisis are immense,” Newsom wrote. “Working together, I am confident that we can meet this moment and take the necessary and immediate steps to address our economic and societal needs as we continue to address — and begin to recover from — this unprecedented crisis.”
Times staff writers John Myers, Anita Chabria, Matt Stiles, Soumya Karlamangla and Emily Baumgaertner contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-20--L.A. orders all nonessential businesses closed, bans public gatherings of any size

In a dramatic bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus , Los Angeles County and city officials announced new orders Thursday that severely restrict public movements .
The Los Angeles County order requires all indoor malls , shopping centers , playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces .
The city of Los Angeles order is much more restrictive .
It requires all nonessential businesses to close , with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements .
The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museums , malls , retail stores , for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations , must stop operations that require workers to be present in person , ” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
“ No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed , with clear exceptions.
” Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs , including getting food ; caring for a relative , friend or child ; getting necessary healthcare ; or going for a walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locked down , and we encourage you not to be locked , ” Garcetti said .
“ This is not ‘ shelter in place ’ like a school shooting , this is stay at home because you ’ re safer at home .
And the only people who should be leaving home and going out are those whose jobs are critical to the safety , the health and security of the city , as well as the economy of recovery for us and the nation during this crisis.
” Essential businesses include grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets ; schools and child care ; businesses that provide food , shelter , social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged people ; gas stations ; banks and financial institutions ; hardware stores ; plumbers and electricians ; healthcare operators and facilities ; transportation services ; and residential facilities .
But these businesses must comply with the order ’ s social distancing and hygiene requirements , including providing access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 % alcohol .
Barbara Ferrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health , said at Thursday evening ’ s news conference that there is the potential for “ many , many people ” to become infected in a county of more than 10 million people .
“ We must slow the number of new cases we have — we must , ” Ferrer said .
“ Without slowing the number of new cases , we will for sure overwhelm not only our healthcare system ” but also other essential services .
Under the city ’ s order , officials said , residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grocery store ; • Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities ; • Go to medical appointments ( check with your doctor or provider first ) ; • Take a walk , ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community ; • Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary ; • Help someone to get necessary supplies .
Residents are not allowed to : • Go to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order ; • Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need ; • Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out ; • Travel to or from a job outside the city , unless to perform essential activities ; • Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city ; • Visit loved ones in a hospital , nursing home , skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility .
• Plumbers , electricians , exterminators , custodial/janitorial workers , handyman services , funeral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , HVAC installers , carpenters , landscapers , gardeners , property managers , private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety , sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities • Organizations and businesses that provide food , shelter , social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals ( including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies ) • Educational institutions , including public and private K-12 schools , colleges , and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible The county order prohibits all indoor public and private gatherings and all outdoor public and private events within a confined space , where at least 10 people are expected to be in attendance at the same time .
Additionally , anyone who organizes a gathering of up to nine people must ensure guests practice social distancing , staying at least six feet apart .
Organizers also must post signs near the gathering ’ s entryway that tell people not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s also required that guests have access to either soap and water to wash their hands or hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 % alcohol .
“ This latest order enforces a simple fact : With this disease spreading , you are safer at home , ” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement .
“ Everyone can still get the food and supplies they need — but by staying at home right now , you are not only keeping yourself as safe as possible , you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store workers , healthcare workers , first responders and transit workers we are depending on to be in public.
” At the news conference , the cities of Long Beach and Pasadena released similar orders .
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia urged residents to follow the public health orders , which are effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday and remain in effect until April 19 .
“ This is a serious step , and I think all of us realize we are in a serious health crisis , ” Garcia said .
Shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered all Californians to stay at home , marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state ’ s fight against the novel coronavirus .
A man with an underlying medical condition became the second person to die of the coronavirus in Los Angeles County , officials announced Thursday , and the total number of confirmed cases rose by 40 overnight to 230 .
The man who died was between 30 and 50 years old , county health officials said at a news conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long Beach , which now has 12 confirmed cases , the Long Beach Public Health Department said .
Three people there have recovered from the virus and 130 people are being monitored , officials said .
Laboratory testing for the coronavirus is increasing but remains limited , Ferrer said .
Seven labs are serving the county , and they have multiple sites where they are testing specimens , she said .
Almost 1,700 people had been tested in L.A. County as of Wednesday , Ferrer said .
Of those people tested through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % have tested positive .
Of those tested through commercial labs , about 10 % have tested positive , she said .
As she announced the new cases , Ferrer urged residents to get serious about limiting contact with others .
“ Because COVID-19 is widespread , as a general rule of thumb , you should assume that you may be infected and that others around you may be infected and therefore act accordingly , ” she said .
“ Take every precaution possible to avoid infecting others and avoid becoming infected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing.
” Many Californians isolated in their homes have watched as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily .
As of Thursday evening , the state has at least 1,001 cases and 19 deaths , compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week before .
About 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring for symptoms .
Sacramento County has 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three people die of complications from the virus that causes the disease .
San Francisco officials said Thursday that the city is adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 3,500 hotel rooms for people who need to quarantine but have no place to do so .
Many of the hotel rooms will go to people who live in single-occupancy hotels with shared bathrooms and kitchens .
The amount of new spaces and rooms is based on estimates from public health officials about what will be needed .
Those numbers could increase .
San Francisco has about 8,000 homeless people .
The city will open “ pop up ” shelters to ensure social distancing , and isolate homeless individuals who have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said Thursday .
Trent Rhorer , executive director of San Francisco ’ s Department of Human Services , said the city expects to have leases for 500 rooms by the end of the week , and hotels with more than 2,000 rooms have expressed interest in leasing .
He said the city was in the process of securing food and staffing for those in isolation .
In addition to the 3,500 rooms for isolation , the city will lease rooms for first responders .
“ We don ’ t want healthcare workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and potentially infect others , ” he said .
Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of public health , said the city is trying to free up space in the hospitals for when the disease surges .
He said residents may go out for fresh air with members of their households but should remain six feet away from others .
People who are 60 or older , have chronic health conditions or are sick should “ stay home altogether , ” he said .
He said the city has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects to hire “ scores more ” this weekend at a job fair .
“ Today we have 70 confirmed cases , ” he said , and that number will continue to rise .
In Riverside County , a vendor who performed work at a Rancho Mirage skilled nursing facility tested positive for the coronavirus , county health officials said Thursday .
The woman in her 30s , who contracted with the Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center , was in isolation at home and expected to recover .
A former resident of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and died earlier in the week .
The county Public Health Department tested 140 employees and vendors and 94 residents , and results are continuing to come in , officials said .
In addition to the woman , county reported five other new cases of the coronavirus for a total of 22 .
Thirteen are in the Coachella Valley , four are in western Riverside County and three are in the southwestern portion of the county , officials said .
Kern County announced its first three cases of the coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were investigating how the people were exposed to the virus and tracking any contact with others they may have had , the county Public Health Services Department said in a news release .
Fresno County reported its third case of the virus Wednesday evening : a person who was recovering in isolation at home .
Officials said they think the case is travel-related .
And Tulare County announced two more cases Thursday , bringing its total to seven .
One of the new cases is a person between 18 and 24 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient contracted the virus .
The other , a person between 25 and 40 , is believed to have caught it during travel , officials said .
Both were tested at Kaweah Delta Medical Center .
Tulare County had reported two other new cases Wednesday night .
One is a person between 18 and 25 who had traveled to Europe and self-quarantined after returning home , officials said .
That patient was continuing to recover at home , and two contacts had been told to self-quarantine .
The other case was a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus through direct contact with another infected person , health officials said in a news release .
Newsom on Wednesday evening said the state has asked the Department of Defense to deploy the Navy ’ s Mercy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals to California to help care in hospitalizations of residents stricken by the coronavirus .
He put the California National Guard on alert Tuesday .
The governor said the state is working to expand available hospital beds by roughly 20,000 , the number needed if more than half of Californians come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s order falls short of activating California ’ s National Guard force of roughly 22,000 , and he emphasized that the state often relies on the Guard ’ s assistance in times of disaster and crisis , especially in response to wildfires and earthquakes .
“ That ’ s just one scenario plan .
There ’ s others that are more modest .
Some may , some cases may be more extreme , ” Newsom said Wednesday evening during a Facebook Live broadcast .
“ When you ’ re looking at getting an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in your system , you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system , and you have to look at procuring additional assets.
” The state estimates that surge capacity in California ’ s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients .
If requests for the military medical assistance are granted , California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold , Newsom said .
In the meantime , Newsom has ordered residents to stay in their homes to help stem the spread of the virus .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines and supermarket shelves stripped of cleaning supplies , toilet paper and other essential goods as shoppers continue panic buying across the state .
Newsom said the National Guard troops would , in part , “ make sure food delivery is happening appropriately ” and ensure that customers do not overreact at stores .
“ We want to make sure people know that their security is top of mind , ” he said during a Tuesday briefing on the state ’ s response to the outbreak .
Ronald Fong , president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to restock shelves because so many customers are buying an overabundance of food and supplies .
He urged customers to return to their normal grocery shopping routine , saying there is no shortage of food or necessities such as toilet paper — just an overwhelmed supply chain to the stores .
“ The grocery stores are what the governor has deemed an essential service , ” Fong said .
“ Grocery stores are going to stay open .
But we can not keep up with a shopping pattern that customers have adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops would also assist local governments , but he did not offer specifics about their potential roles .
“ The reality is cities can only do so much , and when you are not capable of doing a little bit more , and it becomes regionalized , that ’ s the appropriate role of the state of California , ” Newsom said .
“ We just want folks to know we ’ re leaning in a little bit more aggressively in that space as well.
” Gov .
Pete Wilson deployed the Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when troops patrolled streets and enforced a nighttime curfew .
Earlier this month , a California National Guard helicopter delivered supplies to the Grand Princess cruise ship when it was held off the San Francisco coast until some of the passengers and crew could be tested for the coronavirus .
The ship eventually docked in Oakland .
More than 20 states have already called in their National Guard troops in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the department is considering activating National Guard units , the reserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assist with stemming the outbreak .
Campuses are closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic , but school — and learning — is still in session .
“ While we are in very unique circumstances at this time , we are still providing education to our students , ” State Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said .
“ School is not out , but we are finding a different way to deliver it.
” Nearly all schools across the state have shut down , and many districts have announced weeks-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said schools are likely to remain closed even longer — perhaps for the remainder of the academic year , a disruption to the education of 6.1 million students .
Newsom stuck to that position in a Wednesday update , although state and local school officials stressed that no official directive has been issued .
But the quick-moving developments have sent volunteers and educators scrambling to establish online coursework , meals and other support services for their many students in need .
At least 16 counties , most , as well as have ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible .
On Wednesday , Lake , Mendocino , Napa , San Luis Obispo , Solano and Yolo counties joined Sonoma , San Benito , Monterey , San Francisco , Santa Clara , San Mateo , Alameda , Contra Costa , Marin and Santa Cruz counties , which previously had given shelter-in-place orders .
“ This is already a painful situation for many families and businesses .
And make no mistake about it , it ’ s going to get worse before it gets better , ” state Sen. Bill Dodd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference .
“ But this is an opportunity to move in the right direction , to flatten the curve.
” In Ventura County , health officials announced a shelter-in-place order Tuesday that applies only to older residents .
In total , about 20 % of the state ’ s population is under shelter-in-place orders .

Phil Willon, Hannah Fry, Rong-Gong Lin II, Maura Dolan, Alex Wigglesworth, Jaclyn Cosgrove

In a dramatic bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Los Angeles County and city officials announced new orders Thursday that severely restrict public movements.
The Los Angeles County order requires all indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces.
The city of Los Angeles order is much more restrictive. It requires all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
Advertisement
“All businesses, including museums, malls, retail stores, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, must stop operations that require workers to be present in person,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed, with clear exceptions.”
Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs, including getting food; caring for a relative, friend or child; getting necessary healthcare; or going for a walk in the neighborhood.
“Nobody is locked down, and we encourage you not to be locked,” Garcetti said. “This is not ‘shelter in place’ like a school shooting, this is stay at home because you’re safer at home. And the only people who should be leaving home and going out are those whose jobs are critical to the safety, the health and security of the city, as well as the economy of recovery for us and the nation during this crisis.”
Essential businesses include grocery stores, food banks and outdoor farmers markets; schools and child care; businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged people; gas stations; banks and financial institutions; hardware stores; plumbers and electricians; healthcare operators and facilities; transportation services; and residential facilities.
But these businesses must comply with the order’s social distancing and hygiene requirements, including providing access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said at Thursday evening’s news conference that there is the potential for “many, many people” to become infected in a county of more than 10 million people.
Advertisement
“We must slow the number of new cases we have — we must,” Ferrer said. “Without slowing the number of new cases, we will for sure overwhelm not only our healthcare system” but also other essential services.
Under the city’s order, officials said, residents are permitted to:
Go to the grocery store;
Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities;
Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first);
Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community;
Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary;
Help someone to get necessary supplies.
Residents are not allowed to:
Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order;
Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need;
Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out;
Travel to or from a job outside the city, unless to perform essential activities;
Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city;
Visit loved ones in a hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility.
These are considered essential services:
City/county government services
Healthcare providers
Food and grocery service
Hardware stores and nurseries
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities
Banks
Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies)
Laundromats/laundry service
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts and other media services
Educational institutions, including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible
The county order prohibits all indoor public and private gatherings and all outdoor public and private events within a confined space, where at least 10 people are expected to be in attendance at the same time.
Additionally, anyone who organizes a gathering of up to nine people must ensure guests practice social distancing, staying at least six feet apart. Organizers also must post signs near the gathering’s entryway that tell people not to attend if they’re sick. It’s also required that guests have access to either soap and water to wash their hands or hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
“This latest order enforces a simple fact: With this disease spreading, you are safer at home,” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “Everyone can still get the food and supplies they need — but by staying at home right now, you are not only keeping yourself as safe as possible, you are helping make it safer for the grocery store workers, healthcare workers, first responders and transit workers we are depending on to be in public.”
At the news conference, the cities of Long Beach and Pasadena released similar orders.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia urged residents to follow the public health orders, which are effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday and remain in effect until April 19.
“This is a serious step, and I think all of us realize we are in a serious health crisis,” Garcia said.
Shortly after the announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to stay at home, marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state’s fight against the novel coronavirus.
L.A. County sees increase in cases
A man with an underlying medical condition became the second person to die of the coronavirus in Los Angeles County, officials announced Thursday, and the total number of confirmed cases rose by 40 overnight to 230.
The man who died was between 30 and 50 years old, county health officials said at a news conference.
Two of the new cases are in Long Beach, which now has 12 confirmed cases, the Long Beach Public Health Department said. Three people there have recovered from the virus and 130 people are being monitored, officials said.
Laboratory testing for the coronavirus is increasing but remains limited, Ferrer said. Seven labs are serving the county, and they have multiple sites where they are testing specimens, she said.
Almost 1,700 people had been tested in L.A. County as of Wednesday, Ferrer said. Of those people tested through the county Public Health Laboratory, about 21% have tested positive. Of those tested through commercial labs, about 10% have tested positive, she said.
As she announced the new cases, Ferrer urged residents to get serious about limiting contact with others.
“Because COVID-19 is widespread, as a general rule of thumb, you should assume that you may be infected and that others around you may be infected and therefore act accordingly,” she said. “Take every precaution possible to avoid infecting others and avoid becoming infected. That’s the goal of social distancing.”
Many Californians isolated in their homes have watched as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise daily. As of Thursday evening, the state has at least 1,001 cases and 19 deaths, compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week before. About 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring for symptoms.
Sacramento County has 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three people die of complications from the virus that causes the disease.
San Francisco officials said Thursday that the city is adding 2,500 new shelter spaces for the homeless and 3,500 hotel rooms for people who need to quarantine but have no place to do so. Many of the hotel rooms will go to people who live in single-occupancy hotels with shared bathrooms and kitchens. The amount of new spaces and rooms is based on estimates from public health officials about what will be needed. Those numbers could increase.
San Francisco has about 8,000 homeless people. The city will open “pop up” shelters to ensure social distancing, and isolate homeless individuals who have tested positive but do not require hospitalization, officials said Thursday.
Trent Rhorer, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Human Services, said the city expects to have leases for 500 rooms by the end of the week, and hotels with more than 2,000 rooms have expressed interest in leasing. He said the city was in the process of securing food and staffing for those in isolation.
In addition to the 3,500 rooms for isolation, the city will lease rooms for first responders.
“We don’t want healthcare workers on the front line to go home and potentially infect others,” he said.
Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of public health, said the city is trying to free up space in the hospitals for when the disease surges.
He said residents may go out for fresh air with members of their households but should remain six feet away from others.
People who are 60 or older, have chronic health conditions or are sick should “stay home altogether,” he said.
He said the city has already hired an additional 70 new nurses and expects to hire “scores more” this weekend at a job fair.
“Today we have 70 confirmed cases,” he said, and that number will continue to rise.
In Riverside County, a vendor who performed work at a Rancho Mirage skilled nursing facility tested positive for the coronavirus, county health officials said Thursday. The woman in her 30s, who contracted with the Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center, was in isolation at home and expected to recover.
A former resident of the facility had previously been diagnosed with the virus and died earlier in the week. The county Public Health Department tested 140 employees and vendors and 94 residents, and results are continuing to come in, officials said.
In addition to the woman, county reported five other new cases of the coronavirus for a total of 22. Thirteen are in the Coachella Valley, four are in western Riverside County and three are in the southwestern portion of the county, officials said.
Kern County announced its first three cases of the coronavirus in county residents Thursday. Public health officials were investigating how the people were exposed to the virus and tracking any contact with others they may have had, the county Public Health Services Department said in a news release.
Fresno County reported its third case of the virus Wednesday evening: a person who was recovering in isolation at home. Officials said they think the case is travel-related.
And Tulare County announced two more cases Thursday, bringing its total to seven.
One of the new cases is a person between 18 and 24, and officials aren’t sure how that patient contracted the virus. The other, a person between 25 and 40, is believed to have caught it during travel, officials said. Both were tested at Kaweah Delta Medical Center.
Tulare County had reported two other new cases Wednesday night. One is a person between 18 and 25 who had traveled to Europe and self-quarantined after returning home, officials said. That patient was continuing to recover at home, and two contacts had been told to self-quarantine. The other case was a person over 65 believed to have contracted the virus through direct contact with another infected person, health officials said in a news release.
Newsom on Wednesday evening said the state has asked the Department of Defense to deploy the Navy’s Mercy hospital ship and two mobile hospitals to California to help care for the expected surge in hospitalizations of residents stricken by the coronavirus. He put the California National Guard on alert Tuesday.
The governor said the state is working to expand available hospital beds by roughly 20,000, the number needed if more than half of Californians come down with the coronavirus. Newsom’s order falls short of activating California’s National Guard force of roughly 22,000, and he emphasized that the state often relies on the Guard’s assistance in times of disaster and crisis, especially in response to wildfires and earthquakes.
“That’s just one scenario plan. There’s others that are more modest. Some may, some cases may be more extreme,” Newsom said Wednesday evening during a Facebook Live broadcast. “When you’re looking at getting an additional [19,000] to 20,000 beds in your system, you have to look at your existing surge capacity within the healthcare delivery system, and you have to look at procuring additional assets.”
The state estimates that surge capacity in California’s existing hospital system could accommodate 10,000 patients. If requests for the military medical assistance are granted, California should be close to reaching the 20,000-bed threshold, Newsom said.
In the meantime, Newsom has ordered residents to stay in their homes to help stem the spread of the virus. Those who do venture out often find long lines and supermarket shelves stripped of cleaning supplies, toilet paper and other essential goods as shoppers continue panic buying across the state.
Newsom said the National Guard troops would, in part, “make sure food delivery is happening appropriately” and ensure that customers do not overreact at stores.
“We want to make sure people know that their security is top of mind,” he said during a Tuesday briefing on the state’s response to the outbreak.
Ronald Fong, president of the California Grocers Assn., said markets are struggling to restock shelves because so many customers are buying an overabundance of food and supplies.
He urged customers to return to their normal grocery shopping routine, saying there is no shortage of food or necessities such as toilet paper — just an overwhelmed supply chain to the stores.
“The grocery stores are what the governor has deemed an essential service,” Fong said. “Grocery stores are going to stay open. But we cannot keep up with a shopping pattern that customers have adopted by overbuying.”
Newsom said National Guard troops would also assist local governments, but he did not offer specifics about their potential roles.
“The reality is cities can only do so much, and when you are not capable of doing a little bit more, and it becomes regionalized, that’s the appropriate role of the state of California,” Newsom said. “We just want folks to know we’re leaning in a little bit more aggressively in that space as well.”
Gov. Pete Wilson deployed the Guard after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when troops patrolled streets and enforced a nighttime curfew.
Earlier this month, a California National Guard helicopter delivered supplies to the Grand Princess cruise ship when it was held off the San Francisco coast until some of the passengers and crew could be tested for the coronavirus. The ship eventually docked in Oakland.
More than 20 states have already called in their National Guard troops in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the department is considering activating National Guard units, the reserves and the Navy’s hospital ships to assist with stemming the outbreak.
Schools
Campuses are closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but school — and learning — is still in session.
“While we are in very unique circumstances at this time, we are still providing education to our students,” State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said. “School is not out, but we are finding a different way to deliver it.”
Nearly all schools across the state have shut down, and many districts have announced weeks-long closures. But Newsom on Tuesday evening said schools are likely to remain closed even longer — perhaps for the remainder of the academic year, a disruption to the education of 6.1 million students.
Newsom stuck to that position in a Wednesday update, although state and local school officials stressed that no official directive has been issued.
But the quick-moving developments have sent volunteers and educators scrambling to establish online coursework, meals and other support services for their many students in need.
Social distancing
At least 16 counties, most in the Bay Area , as well as the city of Palm Springs have ordered all residents to stay at home as much as possible.
On Wednesday, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, San Luis Obispo, Solano and Yolo counties joined Sonoma, San Benito, Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Santa Cruz counties, which previously had given shelter-in-place orders.
“This is already a painful situation for many families and businesses. And make no mistake about it, it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) said at a news conference. “But this is an opportunity to move in the right direction, to flatten the curve.”
In Ventura County, health officials announced a shelter-in-place order Tuesday that applies only to older residents.
In total, about 20% of the state’s population is under shelter-in-place orders.