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Gov. Newsom: California 'Days, Not Weeks' From Loosening Stay-At-Home Restrictions
In Gov. Gavin Newsom's daily coronavirus update, he said that announcements related to loosening stay-at-home restrictions are coming soon. He also responded to protests against the California's stay-at-home orders, including a lawsuit by Orange County residents. Read the highlights below or watch the press conference above.
ADJUSTING STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN 'DAYS, NOT WEEKS'
Newsom today said the state is "days, not weeks" away from adjusting stay-at-home orders. He promised he would make announcements about that in the next week and said they would give people confidence in California's ability to get back on its feet economically. He said that personal protective equipment, such as masks, is essential in these changes, as is training workers.
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The governor said that announcements are coming soon about how the retail and hospitality sectors (including restaurants) can reopen — but with significant modifications. He also said the state has heard the message from residents of rural communities who are eager to get back to work
Newsom addressed those protesting on May Day, saying that he supported their right to protest and called people's frustration "understandable and legitimate." He asked protesters to wear face coverings and to practice social distancing.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS
More than 2,000 Californians have now died from coronavirus, Newsom said. Over the last 24 hours, 91 people have died from coronavirus in California.
More than 50,000 positive tests have now come in for coronavirus, out of 650,000 tests conducted. The state has been averaging more than 25,000 tests per day, Newsom said, hitting its end-of-April testing goal. That includes 30,000 tests reported yesterday.
Meanwhile, California's number of people in intensive care stayed flat while hospitalizations went down 2% yesterday. The number of people being investigated for potentially carrying COVID-19 went down 13.9%.
MORE UPDATES
Newsom said that he was unsurprised about Orange County residents suing over beach closures, adding, "We'll see what happens this afternoon."
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N95 masks are being sterilized in Burbank to allow them to be reused, Newsom said.
The governor used Friday's press conference to bring attention to previously announced coronavirus-related programs, such as the child care portal announced yesterday and sick-leave protections for food-sector workers.
A total of 3.9 million Californians have filed for unemployment since March 12, with $7.5 billion distributed to them so far, according to Newsom. There have been 340,000 people who've signed up for the separate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
The governor thanked essential workers as part of May Day, also known as International Workers' Day. He thanked health care workers, grocers, farmworkers, and others.
WHAT'S NEXT
On Monday, the governor plans to talk about testing and tracing, quarantine and the technology being used in those areas. He said that "constructive announcements" related to adjusting stay-at-home orders are on the way, as long as coronavirus numbers stay stable or decline. Announcements about controlling large crowds may be coming as early as Monday or Tuesday, Newsom said.
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