Explaining his decision to require limited bar closings in seven counties, Governor Gavin Newsom warned Monday that the state will continue to delay the reopening as COVID-19 expands in California.
“The bottom line is: We are doing this because we have seen an increase in the spread of this virus,” Newsom said. “We need to take more steps and that is exactly what we did this weekend.”
Newsom reported a 45% increase in coronavirus cases in the past seven days and said the rate of positive tests is now 5.5%. As of Monday, the state is monitoring and working with 19 counties that have not met the guidelines for hospitalizations, virus transmission, or sufficient testing for at least three days.
The governor warned of escalating cases a day after he ordered a limited closure of bars in seven counties that have not met state guidelines for more than two weeks. But the practical effect of the governor’s first action to impose restrictions that had previously been lifted in some areas remains unclear.
The new state requirement only closes non-food bars in Los Angeles, Fresno, Kern, San Joaquin, Tulare, Kings and Imperial counties. Bars are allowed to remain open in those counties and serve alcohol if they sell dinner food in the same transaction and meet state restaurant safety guidelines. Establishments that traditionally do not serve food may also hire an outside food vendor to remain open.
The state recommended that bars in eight other counties also close their doors under the same criteria.
About 3,000 businesses statewide are licensed to sell beer, wine, and alcohol for local consumption, but the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control does not keep track of how many of those bars serve meals regularly, said John Carr, a spokesman. . for the agency, in an email.
Carr said local health authorities approve of kitchen facilities and food service to the public. ABC works closely with state and local health departments, preferring education on the app, he said.
“ABC agents can follow up on complaints and can also visit locations to help ensure compliance,” he said. “Compliance throughout California during the pandemic has been very good. Every time officers have visited a location, almost all have complied with the request to follow health guidelines and help stop the spread of COVID 19. “
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California secretary of Health and Human Services, said the order’s goal was to target bars that serve primarily alcohol. Newsom warned that the state is considering additional restrictions.
“Let me be honest with you: We are considering other things to move forward and we will make them public as conditions change,” he said.
Newsom also threatened Monday that the state would impose a stay-at-home order in Imperial County, where it said the positive case rate has been as high as 23%, if local officials did not do it on their own.
“If they don’t succeed in building consensus around going back to a stay-at-home framework, the state of California will stand up and make sure that happens,” Newsom said. “
