California’s Newsom Rejects Another Lockdown With Virus Surging

(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom urged residents to recommit themselves to slowing the spread of the coronavirus as cases climb by record numbers, while stopping well short of halting efforts to restart the state’s economy.

Newsom, who last week issued a statewide order requiring face masks in public, said too many people were letting down their guard against the virus, which has killed more than 5,600 people in the state. California on Wednesday reported more than 7,100 new infections -- its largest single-day increase. Hospitalizations have also jumped as more businesses open and social justice demonstrations continue.

“We cannot continue to do what we have done over the last number of weeks,” Newsom said Wednesday in a press conference. “Many of us, understandably, developed a little cabin fever. Some, I would argue, have developed a little amnesia.”

The governor has largely relied on counties to open up at their own pace, saying local officials have a better handle on conditions in a sprawling state with 40 million residents. Still, even regions that have opened more slowly, such as the San Francisco Bay area, have seen a spike in confirmed cases.

Newsom implored residents -- particularly the young, who may feel less threatened by the virus -- to wear masks and practice social distancing. He also urged local officials to do a better job enforcing their own rules for safely reopening businesses, saying the new budget agreement he reached with legislative leaders will let him withhold as much as $2.5 billion from counties that don’t.

But he said there was no need to halt the process of reopening the state.

“It’s not a binary choice,” he said. “It’s not about shutting down the world’s fifth-largest economy, or advancing these efforts. We can do both.”

Although the number of Californians hospitalized with Covid-19 has jumped 29% in the last 14 days, they fill just 8% of the 52,000 hospital beds the state can make available during a surge of infections, Newsom said. The number of new cases identified in the state has soared 69% since Monday alone, although the governor said some of the rise comes from increased testing.

The statewide stay-at-home order in March allowed California to prepare for the increased caseload and ensure it has enough hospital capacity, he said.

“We have used our time wisely,” Newsom said.

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