Breaking News: July 4th Weekend Shelter-In-Place Update
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The Governor of California announced today that COVID-19 continues to spread across the state at an alarming rate. He called for some action to stop the spread of the virus and reduce hospitalizations.
Effective immediately, California is instructing some businesses in some counties listed on the state’s watch list to stop indoor operations for three days over the weekend.
State’s Watch List:
Contra Costa
Fresno
Glenn
Imperial
Kern
Kings
Los Angeles
Merced
Orange
Riverside
Sacramento
San Bernardino
San Joaquin
Santa Barbara
Santa Clara
Solano
Stanislaus
Tulare
Ventura
The affected businesses are restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums, and cardrooms. Those businesses can still operate outdoors.
Bars are specifically ordered (both indoor and outdoor) to close in all 19 counties on the watch list.
The state beaches will still be open but the parking lots in southern CA and the Bay Area up to Sonoma County will be closed. Some areas where the local government has already closed its beaches will be supported by the state.
In the Bay Area, this affects the Contra Costa, Monterey, Santa Clara, and Solano counties.
In Bay Area, some beaches like Monterey, Del Monte, San Carlos and McAbee beaches will be closed. Keep checking information for updates.
If you plan to head down to the beaches in Southern California this weekend, be forewarned — several counties in Southern California have already closed all beaches. If you violate by walking on any closed beach, bike path, pier, the boardwalk in these areas, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will enforce and punish trespassers by fines up to $1,000.
For the 4th of July weekend, most counties on the watch list may cancel any firework shows to avoid crowds. In general, don’t gather with people you do not live with.
A new enforcement Strike Team made up of representatives of various agencies will work to educate workplaces that are not in compliance and if necessary use targeted responses to ongoing abuses. Some places have additional enforcements such as wearing masks while in public, both indoors and outdoors. Officials in the city of Monterey will issue $100 citations to people on their first violation for not wearing masks.
These restrictions will remain in place for at least three weeks, Newsom said.
The Governor stressed the importance of continuing to wear face coverings, social distance, and washing hands.
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