Tonight at 10 p.m. is when a new stay-at-home order kicks in throughout Southern California, as the state moves to restrict overnight activity in all counties that fall under the "purple" tier of the state's pandemic reopening plan. Purple signifies the most serious risk level for coronavirus infection.
The state order overlaps with a similarly limited stay-at-home order issued by Los Angeles County that began Friday night at 10 p.m.
California's overnight stay-at-home order covers most of the state's population, and bars non-essential activity from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. It's expected to last a month, although health officials have warned there could soon be more drastic measures if infections continue to spike.
The state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. On Saturday, L.A. County reported 4,522 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 34 additional deaths. On Thursday, the county hit a record high of more than 5,000 new cases. More than 7,000 deaths have been attributed to the pandemic so far in L.A. County alone.
People may still leave their homes between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for essential tasks such as shopping for groceries, walking their dogs or going to work.
The restrictions also affect Riverside and San Bernardino counties as well as Orange County, where police in Huntington Beach said they were preparing for anti-curfew protestors, according to City News Service.
MORE ABOUT THE NEW RESTRICTIONS:
New Overnight Stay-At-Home Order Starts Saturday In LA County (And Most Of The Rest Of California)
LA County's 'Limited Stay At Home Order' Begins Tonight At 10, As Surge Continues
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