California announces mandatory overnight stay-at-home order amid COVID-19 surge
Xinhua
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Residents line up for Thanksgiving giveaways including turkeys, groceries, and personal protective equipment in Los Angeles, the United States, Nov. 19, 2020. California governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order limiting non-essential work, movement and gatherings in the most populous U.S. state to slow down the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Xinhua)

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- California governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order limiting non-essential work, movement and gatherings in the most populous U.S. state to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

The order requires generally that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. local time in counties in the purple tier, where COVID-19 transmission rates are highest. The order will take effect on Nov. 21 and remain in effect until Dec. 21, according to the office of the governor.

"The virus is spreading at a pace we haven't seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm," said Governor Newsom in a news release.

"It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We've done it before and we must do it again," he added.

The order is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. Activities conducted during 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are often non-essential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings that have a higher likelihood of leading to reduced inhibition and reduced likelihood for adherence to safety measures like wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance, said the new release.

A total of 41 of 58 California counties, comprising over 94 percent of the state's population of around 40 million, are now in the purple tier.

"We know from our stay at home order this spring, which flattened the curve in California, that reducing the movement and mixing of individuals dramatically decreases COVID-19 spread, hospitalizations, and deaths," said California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly.

"We may need to take more stringent actions if we are unable to flatten the curve quickly. Taking these hard, temporary actions now could help prevent future shutdowns," Ghaly noted.

Erica Pan, the state's acting public health officer, also urged Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge.

"It is especially important that we band together to protect those most vulnerable around us as well as essential workers who are continuing their critical work amidst this next wave of widespread community transmission across the state. Together we prevented a public health crisis in the spring and together we can do it again," Pan said.

Newsom announced Monday a series of "emergency brake" measures to contain the fast surge of COVID-19 in the state. Newsom disclosed that the number of COVID-19 cases had doubled in the past week, saying that is the fastest pace the state had seen during the pandemic.