Young people will be impacted by coronavirus: Newsom
(SOUNDBITE) CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYING:
"Young people can and will be impacted by this virus.”
In a warning to young people, California Governor Gavin Newsom said that half of those who have tested positive for coronavirus in the state were between the ages of 18 and 49.
(SOUNDBITE) CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYING:
“Fifty percent of the 2,102 individuals that have tested positive, 50% are between the age of 18 and 49. I'll repeat that. Half of those who have tested positive to date, in the state of California are 18 to 49 years old. This disease impacts everybody."
51 people have died in California so far, including a teenage boy in Los Angeles County, although health officials there said the case was complex and an "alternate explanation" is possible.
Newsom also warned that half of the state’s residents - or about 25 million people - could potentially be infected in the coming two months.
Despite dire warnings from health officials, President Trump has suggested he would like to reopen the nation's economy by the Easter holiday in April.
Newsom, who issued a stay-at-home order for residents last week did not criticize Trump directly, but said April would be too soon for California to lift its restrictions
(SOUNDBITE) CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYING:
"8 to 12 weeks because soberly we look out over the course of 8 to 12 weeks and I think we can continue to do what we've done and do that, hopefully then we'll be in a very different place than we are today. But I think April for California would be sooner than any of the experts that I talk to would believe is possible."
Trump declared major disasters for Washington state, the nation's first hot spot, and New York where the statewide death toll rose to more than 280. Trump said he would soon do the same for California.
