California rolls back reopening

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CNN) – California is making a U-turn on its reopening plans. The governor said there are too many new coronavirus cases and indoor activities need to close back down.

Governor Gavin Newsom said, “We are now — rather, effective today — requiring all counties to close their indoor activities, their indoor operations in the following sectors: restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters and the shuttering of bars. This is in every county in the State of California.”

Miami’s mayor warned his city could be next. Florida reporting more than 15,000 new cases Sunday, more than any state in a single day since the pandemic began. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said, “We have to get control of these numbers. These numbers are out of control.”

It’s not just in Florida and California. The majority of the country is moving in the wrong direction.

Austin, Texas Mayor Steven Adler said, “I think the lesson learned in Texas is you cannot open up the economy in ways that looked like the economy was opened before.”

19 states posted their highest seven-day average for new cases on Sunday. Hospitalizations are up and ICU beds are a growing concern.

Leah Carpenter is a Florida nurse. She explained, “We’re at ICU capacity of 103%, and if you just carve out the COVID ICU, it’s at 180%. That’s a 26% increase from last Monday.”

Atlanta is moving back to Phase 1, which includes a stay-at-home order. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms joined New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Monday. She said, “You told us very clearly that if we didn’t do things differently in our cities and states we will find ourselves in the same situation that New York was facing. And unfortunately, you were correct.”

Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “There are things you can do now: physical distance, wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, washing hands. Those things, as simple as they are, can turn it around.”

The administration continues to push for schools to reopen, while refusing to offer a plan, or endorse CDC guidance.

Texas high school teacher Jon Ladner said, “Right now, teachers are scared. Teachers are going out there writing their wills. One in five teachers in Texas are considering leaving the profession.”

Los Angeles and San Diego announced on Monday they will not start with hold in-person classes this fall.

Dr. Michael Ryan with the World Health Organization said, “We can’t turn schools into yet another political football in this game. It’s not fair to our children.”

In the nation’s former epicenter, there is one bright spot: for the first time in months, New York City did not have a single COVID-19-related death. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “It is something that makes us hopeful. But it’s very hard to take a victory lap because we have so much more ahead.”

Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the United States could still turn things around in two to three weeks. But he says more people would have to wear face masks and practice social distancing.

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