Governor Newsom is considering an even stricter response to rising COVID-19 infection rates in the state. According to Capitol Weekly, the tougher response may include a 3-week cutback on nonessential services and a new stay at home order that goes further than the one Newsom issued last month.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the new plan may be reminiscent of the initial lockdowns we faced in the Spring.
The sources originally said the announcement would be today, Wednesday, December 2nd, but as of this morning, they said an announcement today was unlikely.
Additionally, it is speculated that the new restrictions will be enforced as a “blanket order,” covering all areas of the state. This is the opposite of the targeted, local approach that many have been asking for. So, while some rural or suburban counties may not be facing the same problems that, say, Los Angeles is facing, they will all be held to the same restrictions.
California’s COVID infection rates have been rising quickly, especially in Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Times, the state reported 1,246,276 cases and 19,319 deaths as of Tuesday. Approximately 3 out of 4 deaths are people 65 and over.
While this all sounds very troubling, there is some good news. California is expected to receive over 300,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-December. Frontline workers will be the first group to receive the vaccine, followed by the state’s vulnerable populations like nursing home residents.
