Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order for roughly 70% of the state’s counties beginning Saturday, he announced Thursdy on Twitter.
The “limited” stay-at-home-order will affect counties in the purple tier of California’s reopening stages, and will prohibit non-essential work and gatherings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., Newsom said.
The order will begin days before Thanksgiving, and will last one month, until Dec. 21.
“Together—we can flatten the curve again,” Newsom’s post said.
Due to the rise in #COVID19 cases, CA is issuing a limited Stay at Home Order.
Non-essential work and gatherings must stop from 10pm-5am in counties in the purple tier.
This will take effect at 10pm on Saturday and remain for 1 month.
Together–we can flatten the curve again.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 19, 2020
The announcement comes amid backlash that the governor has faced for attending a dinner party on Nov. 6 at an upscale restaurant in Napa alongside members of the California Medical Association (CMA). A woman at the restaurant who took photos of the party after recognizing Newsom said that nobody was wearing a mask, and the guests were “shoulder to shoulder, something that he’s always telling us not to do.” (RELATED: California Medical Association Officials Among Guests Seen With Gov. Gavin Newsom At Upscale Restaurant)
EXCLUSIVE: We’ve obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he’s in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 18, 2020
Newsom apologized for attending the dinner party, and said “we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner.” However, the CMA did not express similar regret. Spokesperson Anthony York told Politico that the dinner “was held in accordance with state and country guidelines.”
In total, 41 out of the state’s 58 counties were pushed into the most restrictive phase of California’s shutdowns Monday, which includes closing bars and schools and allowing houses of worship and restaurants to operate outdoors only.
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones reportedly released a statement before Newsom announced the order affirming that his office would not enforce compliance of “any health or emergency orders related to curfews, staying at home, Thanksgiving or other social gatherings inside or outside the home, maximum occupancy, or mask mandates.”
“Further, we will not dispatch officers for these purposes—callers will be advised to call 3-1-1 and be routed to County Health,” the statement says.
Newsom’s announcement comes the same day that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged Americans not to travel over Thanksgiving, and instead host the holiday virtually to curb the spread of coronavirus.