Seyfarth Synopsis: Two weeks after issuing a statewide face covering mandate, and just days after ordering seven counties to shut down bars, Governor Newsom made the decision to re-close the indoor operations of several sectors in 19 counties in an attempt to flatten the spike in new California COVID-19 cases.
As summer began and businesses across California started to reopen, the state saw a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases. In response, the California Department of Health quickly issued a mandatory face covering directive on June 18, which we previously blogged about here.
Wanting To Start Again
Since then, Governor Newsom has implemented additional measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across the state. On June 28, Newsom tweeted that he was ordering bars to close in seven counties and recommending bars close or remain shuttered in an additional eight counties.
Now, as we head into July 4th weekend-a holiday typically (but not this ) celebrated in large public and private gatherings-California is taking a more aggressive approach in an attempt to halt the spike in new cases. On July 1, via Twitter and California's COVID-19 resource page, the Governor broke the news of additional closures across the state.
And When It's Time, You'll Know
Effective immediately, the following indoor activities are shut down in 19 counties for a minimum of three weeks:
- Restaurants
- Wineries and Tasting Rooms
- Movie Theaters
- Family entertainment centers (e.g., bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages, and arcades)
- Zoos and Museums
- Cardrooms
The 19 counties affected by the Governor's new directive are: Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura. Notably absent from the list are Napa and Sonoma, enabling wineries there to continue welcoming the public to their tasting rooms.
There's Still A Chance For You
With the exception of bars, which must cease all operations, businesses ordered to close may remain open if the operations can be transitioned to outdoor or pick-up service.
Workplace Solutions
As tensions rise over both new and existing business closures, and with some local agencies refusing to enforce statewide directives, it remains uncertain what the landscape will look like for California businesses. However, we continue to closely monitor California COVID-19 developments. If you have questions, please be sure to visit Seyfarth's COVID-19 Resource Center, or contact your favorite Seyfarth attorney directly.
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