40 million Californians ordered to stay home to halt virus
A few cars head south to cross from San Diego into Tijuana, Mexico, through what is normally one of the world's busiest land border crossings, Thursday, March 19, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
A sign outside the Cline Cellars winery urges motorists on Highway 121 to be safe and buy online Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Sonoma, Calif. The winery is closed because of the coronavirus threat. As worries about the spread of the coronavirus confine millions of Californians to their homes, concern is growing about those who have no homes in which to shelter.(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Don Overly and his wife Mardel take part in a live virtual wine tasting from their home near Reno, Nev., with Bouchaine Vineyards winemaker and general manager Chris Kajani, left, and sales director Brian Allard Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Napa, Calif. The winery is presently closed to visitors because of the coronavirus threat, but just started conducting tastings to its customers online. People wanting to taste can select from three different wine tasting kits. The wine included in the kit is shipped to the recipient with instructions on booking an appointment and how to access the virtual…
Sales director Brian Allard, left, and winemaker and general manager Chris Kajani lead a live virtual wine tasting with a couple near Reno, Nev., from Bouchaine Vineyards Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Napa, Calif. The winery is presently closed to visitors because of the coronavirus threat, but just started conducting tastings to its customers online. People wanting to taste can select from three different wine tasting kits. The wine included in the kit is shipped to the recipient with instructions on booking an appointment and how to access the virtual contact via the internet. (AP Photo/Eric…
A sign outside the Domaine Carneros winery tells people they are closed for tastings and tours, but open for purchases and wine club pickups Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Napa, Calif. As worries about the spread of the coronavirus confine millions of Californians to their homes, concern is growing about those who have no homes in which to shelter. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
People are seen in a homeless encampment on Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has authorized $150 million in emergency funding to protect homeless people in California from the spread of COVID-19. $100 million will go to local governments for shelter support and emergency housing, while the remaining $50 million will be for purchasing travel trailers and lease rooms in hotels, motels and other facilities to provide places for the homeless to self-isolate. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
A man is seen in a homeless encampment on Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. California governor Gavin Newsom has authorized $150 million in emergency funding to protect homeless people in California from the spread of COVID-19. $100 million will go to local governments for shelter support and emergency housing, while the remaining $50 million will be for purchasing travel trailers and lease rooms in hotels, motels and other facilities to provide places for the homeless to self-isolate. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
A lone pedestrian crosses Grand Avenue with Los Angeles city hall as a backdrop in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The coronavirus has closed restaurants, stores, theaters and many commuters are now working from home. (David Crane/The Orange County Register/SCNG via AP)
With no tourists or crowds to perform for along Hollywood Boulevard, Jonte Florence works on his moves near Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The coronavirus has closed restaurants, stores, theaters and many commuters are now working from home. (David Crane/The Orange County Register/SCNG via AP)
Wearing a mask for protection against the coronavirus, Henry Powell, puts his groceries in his car after shopping at a Safeway store in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 19, 2020. Safeway is among the stores that are offering special shopping hours for seniors, like Powell, who is in his 70's, to get their groceries before opening to the rest of the public. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Wearing a mask for protection against the coronavirus, Henry Powell, heads to his car after shopping at a Safeway store in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 19, 2020. Safeway is among the stores that are offering special shopping hours for seniors, like Powell, who is in his 70's, to get their groceries before opening to the rest of the public. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Chelsea Cooks, an employee at the Dominique Ansel Bakery in the shopping and entertainment complex The Grove, wipes down glass doors Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Visitors to artist Chris Burden's "Urban Light" art installation outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art take pictures of each other, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A pedestrian walks underneath the Fairfax Cinema independent movie theater's marquee, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A visitor to the shopping and entertainment complex The Grove walks down a deserted street Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's 40 million residents should stay home indefinitely and venture outside only for essential jobs, errands and some exercise, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday, warning that the coronavirus threatens to overwhelm the state's medical system.
The move, the most sweeping by any state so far, was an exclamation point at the end of a week of increasingly aggressive moves meant to keep the virus in check by forcing people to stay away from each other as often as possible.
"I can assure you home isolation is not my preferred choice, I know it’s not yours, but it’s a necessary one,” Newsom said at an evening news conference streamed on social media.
He assured residents that they “can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog.” Restaurant meals can still be delivered to homes.
The announcement came after the release of a letter to President Donald Trump where Newsom warned the virus was spreading quickly and eventually could infect more than half the state's population. A spokesman later clarified that the figure did not take into account the aggressive mitigation efforts that have been made.
The governor said he doesn't expect police will be needed to enforce his stay-at-home order, saying “social pressure" already has led to social distancing throughout the state.
"I don’t believe the people of California need to be told through law enforcement that it's appropriate just to home isolate," he said.
The Democrat who is barely a year into his first term also called up 500 National Guard troops to help distribute food. The move comes after panic buying led to massive lines at some grocery stores.
Newsom also outlined a series of steps aimed at providing more space for hospital patients.
He said the state has taken over a 357-bed bankrupt hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area, soon will announce the purchase of a similarly sized hospital in Southern California and may use dormitories at the state's public colleges and universities. He also asked Trump to dock the Navy's 1,000-patient Mercy hospital ship in the Port of Los Angeles.
The coronavirus is spread through sneezes and coughs. There are at least 1,030 confirmed cases in California and 18 people have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Newsom's statewide order came after counties and communities covering about half the state's population already had issued similar edicts. He said the restriction is “open-ended” because it could raise false hopes if he included an end date.
However, he did offer a glimmer by saying he didn't expect it would last “many, many months."
Just before Newsom's statewide declaration, Los Angeles announced what officials there called a “Safer at Home" order that carried the same restrictions.
“We’re about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts."
In the letter to Trump seeking the hospital ship, Newsom said California's infection rates are doubling every four days in some areas and that 56% of the state's population could contract the virus in the next eight weeks, which would be more than 22 million people. He later said the “overwhelming majority won’t have symptoms” and will be fine but that up to 20% could be hospitalized.
“If we meet this moment we can truly bend the curve" of escalating cases, Newsom said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. It can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, for some people, especially older adults and those with existing health problems.
Most people recover — those with mild illness in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks, according to the World Health Organization.
Also Thursday, Newsom asked U.S. House and Senate leaders for $1 billion to support state and local health systems. He said that money would be needed to do things like set up state-run and mobile hospitals, housing options to help people socially distance and testing and treatment for people without health insurance.
He also asked for assistance so the state can extend unemployment benefits beyond the usual 26-week limit, expand food assistance programs, resources for the homeless and tribal communities and boost childcare programs. He further asked for assistance for schools, aid to local and state budgets and transportation relief.
“While California has prudently built a sizable Rainy Day Fund over the past ten years, the economic effects of this emergency are certain to mean that the state and its 58 counties will struggle to maintain essential programs and services,” he wrote.
Newsom earlier announced $150 million of a $1 billion emergency state appropriation would go toward getting homeless people off the streets. He has estimated up to 60,000 of the state's homeless could get infected.
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This story has been corrected to show that Newsom said up to 20% of people infected by coronavirus, not 20,000 people, could be hospitalized.
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Associated Press writer Adam Beam contributed to this story.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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