California's Newsom imposes new lockdown, includes county where he dined at upscale French restaurant
Bradford Betz
The stay-at-home order will last one month, until Dec. 21, but could be extended
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday imposed an overnight curfew through December to stave off the state’s resurgent coronavirus cases.
The limited stay-at-home order applies to 41 counties that account for nearly the entire state population of just under 40 million people.
Beginning Saturday, “non-essential work, movement and gatherings” in purple tier counties must stop between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
FILE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a COVID-19 testing facility in Valencia, Calif. Newsom on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, (AP)
The “Purple Tier” refers to the Golden State’s color-coded system that is based on the number of coronavirus cases in each county. Purple, or Tier 1, is the most severe level, indicating that the virus is widespread in the county, with more than seven cases per 100,000 residents.
A color-coded map available on covid19.ca.gov shows that as of Nov. 16, purple tier counties extend from northernmost Siskiyou County to the southernmost counties of Imperial and San Diego. Mariposa County and Alpine County appear to be the only two of the 58 counties in the Yellow, or Tier 1 category, where coronavirus cases are “minimal.”
A color-coded map of the Golden State, showing the levels of coronavirus cases in each county. (covid19.ca.gov)
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Among the Purple Tier counties are Napa, where the Democratic governor attended a friend’s birthday party earlier this month at the upscale French Laundry restaurant – even as coronavirus cases were spiking and as he preached daily to exercise increased caution.
His administration didn’t acknowledge the birthday dinner until a week later when a reporter was tipped and asked about it.
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Photos obtained by Los Angeles’ Fox 11 showed the governor in the company of multiple lobbyists and even two of the state’s top medical officials.
Amid public backlash and accusations of hypocrisy, Newsom apologized on Monday, calling his decision to attend a “bad mistake.”
Last month, his office was widely ridiculed for tweeting: “Going out to eat with members of your household this weekend? Don’t forget to keep your mask on in between bites.”
Newsom’s latest stay-at-home order will last one month, until Dec. 21, but could be extended if infection rates and disease trends don't improve.
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"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," Newsom said in a statement. “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.”
While nonessential businesses must close by 10 p.m., restaurants will be permitted to offer takeout food. Residents will still be able to get medical care, pick up prescriptions and take care of other essential needs.
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The move comes only days after the state-imposed restrictions limiting business operations in those 41 counties, which have the most significant increases in virus cases.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.