Gov. Gavin Newsom called on all events with more than 250 people throughout the state to be postponed or canceled, at least until the end of March, because of concerns about the new coronavirus, his office announced late Wednesday, March 11.
Smaller events, his office said, should proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet per person. And for people who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, events should be limited to no more than 10 people, his office said, while also following social distancing guidelines.
“Each of us has extraordinary power to slow the spread of this disease,” Newsom said in a statement. “Not holding that concert or community event can have cascading effects — saving dozens of lives and preserving critical health care resources that your family may need a month from now.”
The announcement represented a dramatic shift in how agencies throughout the state will likely respond to what the World Health Organization declared Wednesday to be a global pandemic.
While festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach have already been postponed due to the virus, the folks behind other events, like Insomniac Events’ popular EDM event Beyond Wonderland and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, have been more reluctant to cancel.
Newsom’s announcement, though, could be the final straw for those organizers.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said shortly after Newsom’s announcement that city officials would release details about the local impacts of the news early Thursday, March 12.
Governor Gavin Newsom has released state guidelines on large events and gatherings. I support the Governor and Long Beach officials will release local impacts tomorrow. https://t.co/BWCNNQ4VkH
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarciaLB) March 12, 2020
The cancellation of major events would be a blow to economies throughout the state, including those of Anaheim, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, which all rely in part on conventions and tourism to bring money into their cities.
The news came hours after the NBA announced it suspended its season indefinitely after a player tested positive for COVID-19. Also Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump announced he would sharply restrict passenger travel from 26 European nations to the U.S.; the State Department followed up by issuing a global health advisory cautioning U.S. citizens to “reconsider travel abroad.”
COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms associated with the respiratory disease, which appear two-to-14 days after exposure, include fever, a cough and shortness of breath. While most people — including healthy young adults — will experience mild symptoms, the disease can be severe and possibly fatal for at-risk groups, such as the elderly and those with other health problems.
There have been 177 cases and three coronavirus-related deaths reported in the state as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Public Health.
“These changes will cause real stress — especially for families and businesses least equipped financially to deal with them,” Newsom said. “The state of California is working closely with businesses who will feel the economic shock of these changes, and we are mobilizing every level of government to help families as they persevere through this global health crisis.”
