California’s COVID-19 Curfew

24 Nov California’s COVID-19 Curfew

There isn’t a single person whose life hasn’t been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re required to wear masks, we pay for massive amounts of hand sanitizer, we keep an eagle eye on our cleaning supplies and stock up as soon as we think they’re getting even a little low. Now, the governor has issued a curfew.

The newest restrictions include a curfew that prevents anyone from leaving their home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. There are some exceptions. Essential workers who are traveling to or from work are allowed on the road. You can leave your home if there’s an emergency. It also appears that you can walk your dog between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The curfew was issued in direct response to the fact that the state hit the unwanted milestone of 1 million positive cases of COVID-19 in the state. This number is expected to continue rising at an alarming rate. In a single day, Ventura County reported that they had 365 brand new cases of COVID-19.

The entire state isn’t impacted by this curfew. At this point, only the counties that are listed in the state’s purple tier are required to follow the curfew. Today, 94% of California’s counties are purple.

The main reason for the curfew is to discourage people from mingling in the type of settings that encourages the spread of COVID-19. The idea is to put a stop to late-night bar-hopping, indoor parties, and clubbing. Many feel that these types of events, during which many people don’t wear masks or adhere to social distancing guidelines, is causing cases to skyrocket.

The hope is that by limiting the spread of the virus, the disease won’t overwhelm local medical resources. The governor also hopes that the curfew will also slow the spread enough that the state doesn’t have to go into a full lockdown.

Are you wondering what happens if you break curfew? You’re not alone. One of the biggest headaches associated with many of the governor’s new orders is that no one knows how the rules will be enforced. 

Even the police departments don’t appear to know how to respond to the governor’s orders. Several departments have said they won’t take steps to enforce the governor’s stay-at-home orders. 

If enough people ignore the curfew and the number of positive cases continues increasing, it’s possible that lawmakers may consider issuing fines and even arresting people who fail to follow COVID-19 related laws.