By Karen Phan & Katy Nguyen
This article was last updated on April 30, 2020.
Thursday, April 30
CALIF.: Newsom announced that he intends to close beaches and parks in OC. This action comes after photos of overcrowded beaches in Southern California, particularly Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, made national headlines last Saturday.
OC: OC Board of Supervisors calls the beach and park closures an overreaction from the state, arguing that it is not wise to close beaches and that the photos were not accurate representations of the beach scene last Saturday. Newport Beach City Council voted to keep its beaches open while enforcing social distancing. Huntington Beach voted 5-2 to block Newsom’s order.
Friday, April 24
CALIF.: Newsom announced today that California will immediately launch a meal program that provides up to three meals a day for senior citizens. According to Newsom, California is the first in the nation to initiate a meal delivery program, dubbed as the Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors project.
Food services out of business and restaurant workers who have lost their jobs will be employed through this program. The partnership between the state government and restaurants across the country will also help generate sales tax revenue to support California’s economy.
Thursday, April 23
FEDERAL: The House approved a $480 billion package that will aid small businesses and hospitals and expand COVID-19 testing. The package gives $310 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses, $75 billion to hospitals and $25 billion to expand COVID-19 testing. This package was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, April 21.
Tuesday, April 14
CALIF.: Amid talk from the White House of reopening the country and saving the economy, Newsom announced six guidelines that California will follow to determine when it is safe to change the stay at home mandate and ease other restrictions.
“While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order,” Newsom said in his newsroom release. “As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before.
“California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
- The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
- The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
- The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
- The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
- The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
- The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.”
FEDERAL: Trump suspended funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) and announced a review of the agency will be conducted, stating that it will cover WHO’s “role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus.”
Trump revealed his “Opening the Country” council, which mainly consists of prominent business leaders that will help him reopen the nation’s economy.
The Treasury Department issued a last-minute order for Trump’s name to appear in the memo line of paper stimulus checks from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Washington Post reported that this will be the first time a president’s name will be printed on IRS checks.
Thursday, April 9
CALIF.: Beginning Sunday, April 12, California workers receiving unemployment benefits will get an additional federal payment of $600 on their weekly amount, Newsom announced.
California also launched a program that grants front-line healthcare workers low-cost or free stays at hotels. The program prioritizes workers who are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, suspected of contracting COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19 but do not require hospitalization.
Saturday, April 4
CALIF.: California launched a website, covid19supplies.ca.gov, for donations, sales and offers to manufacture essential medical supplies. Newsom also announced a COVID-19 Testing Task Force to accelerate testing in the state.
Thursday, April 2
CALIF.: Newsom issued an executive order protecting homeowners and small businesses from water shutoffs due to unpaid bills.
Wednesday, April 1
CALIF.: Newsom told Californians during a press conference that schools should operate with the expectation of remaining closed for the rest of the academic year.
Tuesday, March 31
CALIF.: California will release 3,500 inmates serving terms for nonviolent crimes early to reduce crowding in prisons.
Sunday, March 29
FEDERAL: Trump extended federal social distancing guidelines to April 30 as U.S. COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
Friday, March 27
FEDERAL: The House approved the $2 trillion stimulus package.
Trump signed the bill Friday afternoon.
CALIF.: Newsom signed an executive order that bans evictions of tenants financially affected by COVID-19.
Wednesday, March 25
CALIF.: Newsom announced major banks, along with around 200 state-chartered banks, credit unions and servicers, will offer relief to Californians who are financially affected by COVID-19.
Newsom issued an executive order that allows local governments to protect tenants who have been financially affected by COVID-19 from eviction.
FEDERAL: The White House and Senate leaders agreed early Wednesday morning to a $2-trillion stimulus package to combat economic fallout due to COVID-19. Negotiations on what is the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history began last Friday.
The massive package includes one-time direct payments of $1,200 or less to most Americans, “$500 billion for a major corporate liquidity program through the Federal Reserve, a $367 billion small business rescue package, $130 billion for hospitals and $150 billion for state and local governments,” The Hill, a newspaper that primarily covers policy and politics, reported.
The Senate approved the stimulus package Wednesday night. It now goes to the House for voting. CNN reported that Trump has stated he will sign the bill immediately.
Tuesday, March 24
OC: Huntington Beach officials closed the Huntington Beach Pier.
The Los Angeles Times and CBS LA reported that Orange County Executive Frank Kim issued a directive closing all parking lots at county-owned beaches, parks and trails, effective immediately.
In addition to already closing parks and playgrounds, Newport Beach officials announced that beach parking lots and the Balboa and Newport Piers will be closed, effective Wednesday.
CALIF.: Newsom signed an executive order directing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary to keep inmates and youth in county custody for at least 30 days rather than transferring them to different prisons and correctional facilities.
Monday, March 23
OC: Seal Beach City Manager Jill Ingram ordered all city beaches, playgrounds, parks and athletics parks to be closed.
Costa Mesa closed all city-owned golf courses and parks.
OC residents can receive the latest coronavirus updates and resources from OC’s Emergency Operations Center by texting OCCOVID19 to 888777.
CALIF.: Newsom announced a “soft closure” of state parks by closing parking lots
Sunday, March 22
OC: Laguna Beach officials voted to close all city-operated beaches and parks by Monday night.
CALIF.: Newsom submitted a request to Trump on declaring a major disaster in California to expand the state’s COVID-19 response efforts.
FEDERAL: Trump approved Newsom’s request. Presidential approval of California’s Major Disaster Declaration “will supplement [California’s] comprehensive COVID-19 surge planning and make vital resources available,” such as increased federal funding and unemployment assistance, according to a statement.
Saturday, March 21
CALIF.: Newsom issued an executive order to help medical facilities and the health care system prepare for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases. California now has the “ability to increase the health care capacity in clinics, mobile health care units and adult day health care facilities,” a statement reads.
Friday, March 20
OC: OC congressional delegation sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking for the adoption of a shelter-in-place order. OC Supervisor Don Wagner stated that this delegation is not meant to carry more weight than the statewide order from Newsom.
CALIF.: Newsom deployed the National Guard to help support food banks and protect the state’s vulnerable.
FEDERAL: Trump announced that the Mexican-U.S. border will close to restrict all non-essential travel. The border closure is effective Saturday, March 21. Essential trade and commerce will continue.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed the Canadian-U.S. border will close Saturday, March 21.
Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up production of medical supplies as hospitals across the nation face shortages.
Thursday, March 19
OC: At least two healthcare providers in OC County, Kaiser Permanente and Providence St. Joseph Health, are running drive-thru screenings for the coronavirus. Kaiser will only test Kaiser-insured patients who were referred by a health provider at Anaheim Kraemer Medical Offices and will not accept walk-ins. St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Yorba Linda, part of Providence, also offers screenings.
Boys and Girls Clubs in Huntington Beach are opened for childcare services while practicing social distancing. Five of the seven facilities in Huntington Valley, including Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley are now taking in about 200 kids from preschool to eighth grade.
CALIF.: Newsom announced a state-wide “stay at home” order effective 11:59 p.m. Thursday. LA County issued a similar “Safer at Home, Stay at Home” command an hour before Newsom that is expected to last until Apr. 19. Both Newsom and LA County’s mandates carry the power of law and exempt public safety and health care operations.
All nonessential businesses have been ordered to close. Californians can leave their homes only when absolutely necessary for essential services and are advised to social distance when in public.
FEDERAL: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced an emergency stimulus bill, the third in a series of COVID-19 relief packages from Congress. The central element of this “phase three” is direct cash payments to Americans in an effort to stimulate the economy as it slows down due to business closures and rising unemployment.
Wednesday, March 18
OC: OC health officials amended the Health Officer’s Order that was issued on March, 17 because of the confusion caused by its broad language. The new health order is more clear regarding which services and activities are essential and asks residents to follow recommendations from the CDPH.
CALIF.: Newsom issued an executive order to waive statewide testing for all Californian students. The order is pending federal approval and is meant “[t]o reduce the strain on students, families and educators during the COVID-19 outbreak,” according to a statement.
FEDERAL: Trump signed into law the multi-million dollar Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes paid sick leave, paid emergency leave and free COVID-19 testing. This is the second COVID-19 emergency relief package from Congress.
Trump announced plans for two U.S. Navy hospital ships to be deployed and assist medical facilities that are currently overwhelmed and those that are expecting to see an influx of COVID-19 patients. The USNS Comfort will be deployed to New York and the USNS Mercy will be deployed along the West Coast.
Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed Wednesday morning to the close Canadadian-U.S. border and restrict non-essential travel for an indefinite period of time. Essential trade and commerce will continue.
Tuesday, March 17
OC: OC health officials issued a Health Officer’s Order that bans all public and private “gatherings of any size outside of a single living unit.” The order is effective until March 31 and violations of it are punishable by “fine, imprisonment or both.”
CALIF.: Newsom alerted the California National Guard to “prepare for potential activation” to assist in protecting local communities and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, CSB SF reported. The National Guard has not been called into action yet.
As of Newsom’s alert, National Guards in 18 states have been mobilized “to help oversee and operate new drive-up testing facilities, clean and disinfect public spaces, and support both emergency operations centers and health care workers,” according to USA Today.
Newsom signed emergency legislation that allocates $1.1 billion dollars to California’s COVID-19 response efforts.
Monday, March 16
OC: California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye ordered the closing of public OC courts until at least March 30. Court officials stated that jury summons will not be required to appear for jury duty during this time.
CALIF.: Newsom asked all California restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and health clubs to close. Restaurants can operate on a takeout basis and should not allow dining in.
FEDERAL: The Trump administration released national guidelines during a news conference to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including no gatherings with more than 10 people.
Sunday, March 15
CALIF.: Newsom asked all California neighborhood bars and pubs to close. Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom said restaurants can remain open as long as occupancy is cut in half so that customers dining in can social distance.
Saturday, March 14
FEDERAL: Vice President of the United States Mike Pence announced that Trump’s original European travel ban will expand to include the United Kingdom and Ireland. The expanded ban will begin at midnight on Monday, March 16 and, like the original, exempts U.S. citizens and their family members.
Friday, March 13
OC: Orange County (OC) Superintendent Al Mijares suggested that all public schools be closed for a minimum of two weeks. LA districts, HBUHSD and surrounding districts in OC closed.
FEDERAL: Trump declared that the COVID-19 global pandemic is a national emergency under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988. CNN reported that the declaration sets the Federal Emergency Management Agency into motion, making more federal funds available to handle the outbreak in the United States.
Wednesday, March 11
CALIF.: Newsom recommended all large gatherings over 250 people be canceled. The advisory is effective until the end of March and comes from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). It does not carry the power of law and does “not apply to essential public transportation, airport travel, or shopping at a store or mall,” according to the document from the CDPH.
California suspended visits to state prisons, including family visits.
FEDERAL: Trump announced a travel ban from Europe to the U.S that will last 30 days and is effective Friday, March 13. The ban exempts U.S citizens and their family members. It includes the 26 countries in the Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Friday, March 6
FEDERAL: United States President Donald J. Trump signed the bipartisan $8.3 billion COVID-19 package.
Wednesday, March 4
CALIF.: California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 global outbreak. The proclamation will allow California to “make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway across multiple state agencies and departments, and help the state prepare for broader spread of COVID-19,” according to a statement.
FEDERAL: The United States House passed a bipartisan $8.3 billion coronavirus package in a 415-2 vote. Provisions of the bill include funding for vaccine development and research, money for state and local governments and lower costs for medical treatments, NPR reported. The package now goes to the Senate for voting.
