California Among States with Worst Coronavirus Spread in U.S. Despite Strict Lockdowns, Mask Mandates

Governor Gavin Newsom watches as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is prepared by Direc
JAE HONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

California is among the top three states experiencing the worst spread of the Chinese coronavirus in the United States despite having some of the most stringent lockdown orders and mask mandates, according to recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Saturday, California topped all other states in the number of new cases per capita per 100,000, reporting a daily average of 100.5 cases over the past week.

SF Gate reported:

California’s daily case-per capita figure is actually down from the 109.3 mark it was at last week, which is likely due to reporting delays caused by the Christmas holiday. For reference, Oklahoma recorded the worst spread in the country last week with an average of 151.4 daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, and Tennessee was the second-worst with an average of 138.

California remained one of the top states of new infections per capita through the weekend, reporting 95.7 cases per 100,000 as of Sunday, surpassed only by Tennessee, which reported 119.7. Arizona, Oklahoma, and Indiana followed, with average cases per 100,000 in the last seven days standing at 88; 83.2; and 72.5, respectively.

California has implemented some of the toughest restrictions in the country throughout the pandemic. In November, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a month-long 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m curfew in “purple” counties across the state, which covered the bulk of the state’s population:

All but three counties remained in the highest “purple” risk level as of Monday.

On December 21, officials signed a “Supplement to the Limited Stay Home Order,” which requires nonessential retailers to close between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.:

The supplement extended the Limited Stay Home Order until such time as the Regional Stay Home Order has terminated in all Regions in the State of California. In addition to applying to the counties in the Widespread (purple) of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the Limited Stay Home Order also now applies in counties under Regional Stay Home Order. It directs that non-essential retail must cease between 10:00pm PST and 5:00am PST.

Those who fail to comply with the regional stay at home order could face fines or have their business licenses revoked.

According to NBC San Diego, officials are “expected to extend the strictest stay-at-home orders in central and Southern California as hospitals there are quickly running out of intensive care unit beds for coronavirus patients ahead of the presumed post-holiday surge.”

Californians have been required to wear masks in most settings since June, with limited exemptions.

 

Similarly, cases in Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) Pennsylvania have continued to rise despite having some of the strictest restrictions in the country as well, including mask mandates, which have been in effect for months.

The Golden State reported 2,122,806 cases of the virus as of Sunday:

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