California State Senator Calls For Return To Stay-At-Home Order Amid Record Coronavirus Death, Case Counts: “It’s Clear That We Have Lost Control”
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On Thursday, after two days of record coronavirus numbers, State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, called for most counties in California to return to a strict stay-at-home order.
California reported a record number of daily deaths from coronavirus on Thursday. The toll rose to a grim 157 people over the prior 24 hours. The previous high, 149, was seen on July 12. That means the total number of COVID-related deaths in the state has now topped 8,000, standing at 8,027.
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California also saw a massive 12,040 new COVID infections on Thursday. That’s just below the record, set on Wednesday, which was 12,807 new cases. Governor Gavin Newsom said that total was “the highest in the nation.”
“It’s clear that we have lost control of the coronavirus fight,” State Senator Glazer said during a Thursday press conference. “And you don’t have to look very far to see it in the numbers.”
“Unfortunately,” said Glazer, the numbers “never really declined. As we began the reopening process, it was clear that the only place to go was up. And it’s clear that’s exactly what happened,” Glazer said.
“We have to do this right,” he said, “because that’s the only way to bring our economy back.”
Glazer pinned a series of posts at the top of his Twitter page outlining his concerns.
10 questions we should answer as our state reopens further:
1. Based on testing and hospitalization data, it appears there are more COVID 19 infections today than when sheltering in place began on March 20. If so, why are we loosening restrictions?
— Steve Glazer (@Steve_Glazer) May 26, 2020
In his news conference, Glazer put forth a multi-point plan that begins by ordering residents to stay at home again if their counties’ positivity rate is higher than 2 percent. For perspective, the daily positivity rate of new tests in Los Angeles County was 8.5 percent on Wednesday. California’s average positivity rate is above 7 percent.
There are 35 counties, including Los Angeles, on the state’s watch list as of Wednesday. Those would likely be the first areas subject to any new stay-at-home order. They comprise the vast majority of California’s population.
As a reminder, Governor Gavin Newsom’s mask mandate was ordered on June 18. On July 13, Newsom to closed bars and indoor dining.
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