SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians over the age of 65 on Sunday to isolate themselves from others and told neighborhood bars and pubs to close their doors as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state continued to rise.
Newsom did not, though, mandate the closure of all restaurants in the state. In an afternoon briefing with reporters, he said 335 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in California with six people having died.
The governor said the request of older Californians was made in hopes of limiting their exposure to the virus, given that health officials have pointed out higher dangers for those who are older.
"We are prioritizing their safety," Newsom said.
The new guidelines come following other broad efforts announced in recent days to combat the virus in California. Most of those have been taken on the local level, including the decision by dozens of school districts to shut down operations for the next two weeks or longer. On Friday, Newsom issued an executive order assuring those schools of continued funding during closures.
The governor said he would issue additional directives on Tuesday to schools that remain open and said he was especially focused on providing support to low-income families. He suggested some local school officials had not fully thought through the consequences when closing schools.
"It's one thing to say you have a plan and it's another to actually deliver that plan," Newsom said.
Newsom acknowledged the outbreak of the virus was a fluid situation that state and local officials would need to continue to monitor the situation as events merit.
