Newsom orders three week Covid crackdown for California

Regions are expected to hit ICU threshold in next few days as virus surges

California’s governor Gavin Newsom has ordered a three week Covid crackdown for the state.

The new stay-at-home orders will be implemented in areas hardest hit by the virus.

Mr Newsom has divided the state into five large regions and the new restrictions will go into place when intensive care unit capacity at hospitals drops below 15 per cent.

When that happens the region will have 48 hours to comply with the new rules, which will then stay in place for three weeks.

None of the regions currently meet the threshold but the politician says they are expected to within the next day or so.

The Bay Area is expected to reach that point later in the month than the other areas, he said.

Mr Newsom had already put in place a nighttime curfew for 51 or the state’s 58 counties.

Under the new rules bars, wineries, personal services, hair salons and barbershops will be forced to close.

Retail stores will be limited to 20 per cent capacity and restaurants will only be allowed to provide delivery and to-go orders.

Mr Newsom also said all non-essential travel would be “suspended.”

“This is not a permanent state,” said Mr Newsom.

 “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Outdoor activities, such as going to the beach, hiking and skiing are still allowed.

The governor made the move after the state reported 20,000 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

The governor also announced that vaccines would start to arrive in the state within the next few weeks.

The first round of 327,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will go to acute care, psychiatric care, nursing homes and correctional facility hospitals. 

The second round will go to public health workers, and a third round will go to dental staff, lab workers and specialty care clinics.