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33 million people will have to remain indoors when Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley are closed as the virus spreads explosively across the United States.
Over the next three weeks, more than 33 million people in California will have to stay indoors. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP / NTB
The Sunday night shutdown takes place as authorities attempt to seize control of the pandemic crown, which is about to spin completely out of control at a speed that far exceeds the most pessimistic predictions of health experts.
The 33 million who have to stay home for the next three weeks are 84 percent of California’s population. The order was issued when the capacity of the hospitals’ intensive care units was about to explode.
Five counties in the San Francisco area are also introducing stricter closure rules, although the situation at their hospitals is not as acute.
With take away food
The restrictions that are being introduced are not as intrusive as those that were introduced this spring and which were credited with stopping the pandemic. But they will be challenging enough for businesses and people in the suburbs, who recently got away with cheaper.
Restaurants and bars will now only be able to offer take out food. Gatherings of people from different households are prohibited, except for open-air worship services and political demonstrations.
In addition, all hairdressers and beauty salons must close, as well as playgrounds, city gardens, museums, aquariums and vineyards. Free time in hotels is prohibited and campsites are closed.
Stores may be open, but only 20 percent full.
People are waiting in line to get tested for the coronavirus in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Photograph: Richard Vogel / AP / NTB
Hospitals are threatened with collapse
The measures, which come in the middle of the Christmas preparations, are criticized and some believe that Governor Gavin Newsom is going too far. However, new data shows that the virus is spreading at an alarming rate.
Los Angeles County has set new infection records in four of the past five days. On Saturday, 9,218 new cases were registered, well above the 8,562 registered on Friday and the 7,713 registered on Thursday.
The closure order is triggered when health systems threaten to collapse, that is, when the capacity of intensive care units falls below 15 percent.
Mortality can increase dramatically when intensive care units no longer have capacity. Health authorities also say that there are a limited number of doctors, nurses and others who have intensive care training.
All over the United States
After the New York area was hit for the first time this spring, the southern and southwestern states followed this summer and the Midwest states and the prairies this fall. But now the virus is spreading uncontrollably across the United States.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there were 230,000 new cases in the United States on Saturday alone and 2,527 deaths. For two weeks, there have been more than 2,000 deaths almost every day, as many as during the first wave.
So far, a total of 280,000 corona deaths and 14.6 million confirmed infections have been recorded in the United States, and experts say the death toll could rise to 450,000 in February.
A sign shows the number of active cases in the Athens, Ohio area. Photo: Doral Chenoweth / AP / NTB
Infection logs
Across the continent from California, North and South Carolina announced new infection records Sunday.
In South Carolina, there have been more than 2,450 new cases every day for the past three days, significantly more than when the pandemic was at its worst in July. On Saturday, the number was 2,715, the highest in history.
And in neighboring North Carolina state, 6,438 new cases were recorded on Sunday after a sharp increase in the last week. Until then, more than 5,000 infections had never been reported in a single day.
Virginia also reports new records, with 3,880 cases on Sunday. So far, 4,200 people have died of coronary-related causes in the state.
Warns
A senior White House adviser, Moncef Slaoui, said he was confident the FDA would approve Pfizer’s vaccine this week, perhaps Thursday.
But Deborah Birx, who coordinates the White House’s efforts against the virus, notes that 100 million people with underlying health problems make the virus very dangerous for them. And most of them do not get the vaccine for several months despite being given priority.
– I want to be honest. The vaccine is essential, but it will not save us from the wave we are in. We can only do it ourselves and we know exactly what to do, he says.
