Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday the temporary closure of beaches in the Orange County area, citing “disturbing” crowds and lack of social distancing last weekend that he said threatened the state’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
While the governor acknowledged that most cities and counties were acting appropriately, he chastised those who flocked to Orange County beaches, saying, “They put other people at risk, put our hospital system at risk.”
Newsom also denied that he had been planning to close all beaches in the state, saying he had not seen a memo that was reportedly sent to police chiefs on Wednesday.
“That was their memo,” he said. “That memo never got to me.”
The governor also announced the creation of a new online portal to connect working parents with child care options, along with the creation of 432 “pop-up” day care facilities that would adhere to strict health protocols.