California Governor Gavin Newsom orders movie theaters, indoor restaurants to close

California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered all bars, indoor restaurant operations and movie theaters to shut down immediately in most parts of the state as coronavirus cases continue spike.

Newsom announced the revised stay-at-home order on Wednesday, nearly three weeks after California began lifting restrictions to reopen its economy.  

It comes as the number of COVID-19 cases rose nearly 50 per cent over the last two weeks, with a 43 per cent increase in hospitalizations. 

As of Monday, there were 222,917 confirmed cases of in the state and 5,980 deaths. 

The shutdown applies to 19 counties where nearly three-quarters of the state’s roughly 40 million population lives – including Los Angeles County. 

Restaurants are permitted to continue with outdoor dining service but must shut down indoor operations.

It also applies to other indoor operations including museums, entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos, and cardroom gambling businesses.  

On Sunday, Newsom ordered bars to shut in seven counties but Wednesday’s order extends across the state.  

‘The bottom line is the spread of this virus continues at a rate that is particularly concerning,’ Newsom said.

The order came just days ahead of what was expected to be a busy Fourth of July weekend for the state, sparking fears people would gather in mass for celebrations.  

Newsom did not order beaches to close, but said parking lots at all beaches in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay area would close to limit crowds. 

State parks – which include some beaches – will remain open, but with measures in place to reduce overcrowding. 

Restaurants can continue with outdoor dining service but must shut down indoor operations

The shutdown comes days after Newsom imposed at statewide order requiring all residents to wear masks in most public places 

Newsom said the new business closure order applies to counties that have been on the state’s monitoring list because of increasing coronavirus cases for three consecutive days: Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.

But enforcing the new rules will be difficult, Newsom said. 

He said seven state agencies with regulatory authority would target non-compliant businesses, including the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the California Highway Patrol.

And he suggested that state officials would first try to convince non-compliant businesses to cooperate instead of penalizing them.

‘It’s more education. I’m not coming out with a fist. We want not come out with an open heart, recognizing the magnitude of some of these modifications,’ Newsom said.

Many local California governments have delayed reopening or have imposed extra restrictions as cases rose. 

Officials in Los Angeles County closed beaches for the Fourth of July weekend before Newsom announced his restrictions and Fresno County in the state’s Central Valley agricultural heartland had already ordered all bars to close.

CALIFORNIA SHUTS DOWN 19 COUNTIES

1. Contra Costa
2. Fresno
3. Glenn
4. Imperial
5. Kern
6. Kings
7. Los Angeles
8. Merced 
9. Orange
10. Riverside
11. Sacramento
12. San Bernardino
13. San Joaquin
14. Santa Barbara
15. Santa Clara
16. Solano
17. Stanislaus
18. Tulare
19. Ventura