California lifted a stay-at-home order in the 13-county greater Sacramento region on Tuesday following improving hospital conditions, a rare turn of good news as the state pushes through what Gov. Gavin Newsom called “its most intense surge” of the coronavirus.
The order, imposed Dec. 10, banned gatherings outside households and shuttered or restricted many businesses. With virus cases and hospitalizations more stable now, the region can resume outdoor dining and worship services, reopen hair and nail salons and other businesses, and increase capacity at retailers. Gatherings of up to three households are allowed.
Newsom made the announcement in a social media post, reminding people to wear masks and stay home as much as possible.
Three of the state's five regions — the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California — remain under the stay-at-home order because their intensive care capacity at hospitals is severely limited.
California has seen an enormous surge of cases, hospitalizations and deaths since Thanksgiving. The state is averaging 42,000 new virus cases a day and recorded 3,500 virus deaths in the last week. On Monday, the state's coronavirus death toll topped 30,000 since the pandemic began.