Newsom Asks Riverside County: 'What More Evidence Do You Need?'

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County residents and those across Southern California can expect to spend the next several weeks under an extended stay-at-home order, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday in a news briefing. While the order is meant to slow virus spread, many in Riverside County continue to ignore restrictions — which the governor said is showing up in spiking cases and hospitalizations.

"What more evidence do you need?" Newsom said of the county's rising COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

The current regional stay-at-home order in effect across Southern California is expected to be formally extended Tuesday, continuing a ban on all gatherings of people from different households and restrictions on many businesses across the Southland.

The order, which covers an 11-county area in Southern California, took effect at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 6 and was set to expire Monday. But with the region's intensive care unit capacity at hospitals still effectively listed at zero percent, Newsom said the order is all but certain to be extended.

Newsom said COVID-19-related hospitalizations were leveling off across much of the state, which may be attributed to the health orders, but he said Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties were seeing spikes, along with parts of Riverside County.

Based upon the large number of people who appeared to have ignored warnings against travel over the Christmas holiday — and those who will likely so do over the upcoming New Year's holiday — the state is bracing for a "surge on top of a surge, arguably on top of, again, another surge," Newsom said.

As for Riverside County, Newsom pointed to county leaders who are defying state protocols.

Without naming the individuals, Newsom said, "They're not helping."

Disregard for safety sends a message that leaders don't care about the health of their community or about receiving millions of dollars in coronavirus aid, the governor said, calling it "mixed messaging."

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has publicly said he will not enforce the stay-at-home order or restrictions meant to slow virus transmission, although the board of supervisors has not gone as far in its defiance due to concerns over the prospect of losing of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal funding that is distributed by the state. Two members of the board of supervisors do not wear face masks during public meetings, and there has been repeated discussion on ways to avert the restrictions, but a resolution to defy has not been instituted.

"We're in the midst of a pandemic," Newsom said. "I don't know what more evidence you need, particularly, as highlighted, Riverside County is experiencing what they're experiencing in ICUs and hospitals and lives lost. I mean, what more evidence do you need that trying to enforce good behavior will actually save lives? It's a noble and right thing to do. To dismiss as many have in the past and some of the same folks ... some still holding onto this as a hoax or face coverings don't matter. ... They're not helping. They're not advancing that cause, and so we will be assertive as we have been, we will be aggressive, as we have been."

Newsom said the state is cracking down on businesses and organizations that don't follow state orders, although the impact is mostly felt by establishments that require state licensing, such as bars and restaurants that serve liquor, as well as hair salons, barbershops and other personal care services. Other businesses are being monitored through the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the governor said.

On Monday, Riverside County released updated coronavirus figures. The report showed 16,367 new cases and 41 additional COVID-19 deaths since Christmas Eve, the last date for which figures were available.

According to the Riverside University Health System data, 174,477 cases were reported Monday. The figure dates back to the spring when data began being tracked. Of the total cases, about two-thirds of those infected have recovered from the illness, the RUHS data shows.

Monday's total COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 1,367 patients countywide, an increase of 40 people since Christmas Eve. The total includes 282 ICU patients, an increase of 27 people since Dec. 24.

Local health officials have called the increase in hospitalizations "unsustainable."

Los Angeles County has rapidly become the epicenter of the pandemic in the state. Newsom said 96 percent of Los Angeles County hospitals diverted ambulances to other health care facilities at some point over the weekend due to overcrowding in emergency rooms — up from a normal average of 33 percent of hospitals having to divert.

According to the governor, Los Angeles County hospitals on average spent 16 hours on diversion over the weekend, unable to find space for emergency patients.

As an extended stay-at-home order looms, it is expected the verbiage will look the same as the Dec. 6 language, which bars gatherings of people from different households. The order also forces many businesses and organizations to close, although defiance is widespread in Riverside County among non-chain businesses as well as churches. Under the order, the following businesses/recreational facilities are forced to close:

• indoor recreational facilities
• hair salons and barbershops
• personal care services
• museums, zoos, and aquariums
• movie theaters
• wineries
• bars, breweries and distilleries
• family entertainment centers
• cardrooms and satellite wagering
• limited services
• live audience sports
• amusement parks

Schools with waivers can remain open, along with "critical infrastructure" and retail stores, which are limited to 20 percent of capacity. Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Hotels are allowed to open "for critical infrastructure support only," while churches are restricted to outdoor-only services. Entertainment production — including professional sports — are allowed to continue without live audiences.