Coronavirus: California governor orders new shutdowns for inside dining, bars

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered 19 counties to shut down indoor dining at restaurants, along with bars and breweries.

Those counties include the Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas.

Newsom also called on those counties to close movie theaters, bowling alleys and arcades, the Sacramento Bee reported. Restaurants will still be allowed to offer food for pickup or delivery, the governor said.

The state will also close parking lots at state beaches for the Fourth of July weekend, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Zoos and museums also will shut down.

The new orders will be in effect for at least three weeks.

“We are doing everything we can to focus in on certain sectors of our economy where that spread is more likely to occur, where that spread can be potentially more concentrated, and try to mitigate that spread to the extent we can,” Newsom said at a news conference.

The 19 counties include nearly 75% of California’s population, KCRA reported.

Newsom said counties should consider canceling Fourth of July fireworks shows and large gatherings. He also urged residents to wear masks.

“Our actions have an impact on other people,” Newsom said. “There’s a reason in this country we require seat belts. There’s a reason in this country we require helmets when you are on a motorcycle or a scooter. And that is not only to protect you, but also to protect others.”

The Office of Emergency Services launched strike teams to help enforce the order, the Bee reported. They will work with local health officials to target businesses that are not in compliance, OES Director Mark Ghilarducci told the newspaper.

Cox Media Group