Coronavirus: 'Many Days, Not Weeks Away' From Easing Stay-At-Home Orders, Newsom Says
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- With thousands of people across the Southland holding May Day protests against California's stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom Friday attempted to allay concerns by saying that the state was close to easing those restrictions.
"We are now many days, not weeks away," from beginning to ease the order, Newsom said in his daily Friday briefing, specifically referencing retail stores, restaurants and hospitals.
Newsom reported that 3.9 million Californians have filed for unemployment since March 12, when the pandemic took hold. $7.5 billion has been distributed in unemployment benefits.
"We're getting very, very close to making some announcements that I think will be very meaningful to people in the retail sector, hospitality sector -- yes that includes in that second phase, restaurants -- again, with serious modifications," Newsom said.
Large protests were held in Huntington Beach, downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino Friday after Newsom Thursday announced that Orange County beaches would be closed after seeing large crowds last weekend.
According to the governor, there 91 coronavirus deaths statewide over the past 24 hours, with the statewide case count crossing the 50,000-mark.
There are now 50,442 cases statewide, with 2,073 deaths from the disease. However, Newsom said he was encouraged that the number of hospitalizations, 3,248, were down 2% from the day before, and the number of patients in ICUs remained flat.
An average of about 25,000 people are being tested a day.
"Because of your individual behavior and the physical distancing that you have done at scale...That's why I feel some confidence that over the course of the next week we're gonna be able to make some announcements that will give people some more confidence in the ability for California to get on its economic feet," Newsom said.
