California governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all 40 million residents of the state to stay at home as the U.S. fights the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.
The order is the most stringent effort in the U.S. to stem the spread of the virus. Residents will be allowed to leave home for essential needs including groceries and medical supplies, while workers in positions deemed essential are cleared to go to work.
“We’re going to keep the grocery stores open,” Newsom said. “We’re going to make sure that you’re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog, you can still pick up food at one of our distribution centers, at a restaurant, at a drive-thru — all those things we will still be able to do.”
Newsom said the order will remain in effect “until further notice,” although he does not believe it will last “many, many months.” Six counties in the San Francisco Bay area had instituted a similar directive on Monday. California has reported over 1,000 cases of coronavirus, most of which are clustered in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.
The state of New York, which has confirmed over 4,000 cases, mostly concentrated in New York City, has resisted implementing a stay-at-home order. Governor Andrew Cuomo has emphasized that New York City will not be put on lockdown, although Cuomo has approved measures similar to California in closing nonessential businesses and ordering 75 percent of the state’s workforce to work from home.