Joining other states, California declares state of emergency while asking citizens to remain calm.
During a press conference on Wednesday, March 4, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. This strengthens citywide emergency declarations by Los Angeles county, Pasadena, Long Beach, and Orange County. This is in response to 6 new individuals in Los Angeles County with COVID-19. A seventh has fully recovered. One of the 6 is in a hospital. The remaining 5 patients are confined to their homes, with monitoring by health officials.
According the Governor Newsom, one of the individuals with COVID-19 went on a cruise to Mexico from February 10–21. On that ship were an estimated 2,500 other Californians. This is the main reason for the declaring the statewide emergency.
Officials in Placer County, California announced that an elderly resident has become the first person to die from COVID-19 in California. The patient, who had underlying health conditions, was likely exposed during international travel from February 11–21 on a Princess cruise ship that departed from San Francisco to Mexico. The CDC and government officials are contacting passengers on the manifest.
States That Have So Far Declared Emergencies
- California
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- New York
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
Do not panic. The escalation is an abundance of caution. This action releases resources allowing officials to better prepare for a larger outbreak. Closure of public events, including schools, are likely in the near future. Shopify, the company hosting this website, is postponing all events, 1:1 guru appointments, and workshops as of March 2 because of the evolving public health concerns around COVID-19 (Coronavirus). As a community effort, officials implore individuals to practice safe hygiene:
- Cough/sneeze into tissue and immediately discard.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Use non-contact social greetings. Don’t shake hands or embrace.
- Avoid public places if you are ill, unless it is to see doctor.
- Maintain 3–6 foot distance from strangers.
- Do not travel to areas where outbreak is known.
If you have not already so, experts recommend getting a flu vaccination. This does not prevent COVID-19, but if people who contract both the flu and COVID-19 have more difficulty recovery. Officials also advise hanging appropriate hygiene reminders within public offices.
Inappropriate Reactions
In the absence of a “pandemic” proclamation, “state of emergency” is enough to spark Black-Friday-like crowds emptying store shelves and online retailer supplies. Currently, the biggest problem in the USA is not catching the virus. It is hoarding. Companies report shortages with the following essentials:
- Toilet tissue latimes.com
- Face masks latimes.com
- Hand sanitizer tomsguide.com
- Aloe vera nccih.nih.gov
- Emergency food kits mountainhouse.com
- Rice and other staples ccxmedia.org
Experts say they do not see a need now for people to hoard necessities. Some retailers are limiting the amounts each customer can purchase.
References
- L.A. County officials make major announcements related to novel coronavirus. facebook.com/fox11la/videos/305283057119425/ Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
- Coronavirus Deaths In Washington State And California, Where Gov. Declares Emergency. npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/04/812121540/coronavirus-los-angeles-declares-emergency-and-u-s-reports-80-cases-in-13-states Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
- What states have declared coronavirus emergencies? foxnews.com/us/what-states-have-declared-coronavirus-emergencies Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
- New York declares state of emergency as Cuomo announces 21 new coronavirus cases. foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-new-york-update-cuomo-state-emergency Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
- At least 8 US states have declared a state of emergency. cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-08-20-intl-hnk/index.html Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
- Who is getting sick, and how sick? A breakdown of coronavirus risk by demographic factors. statnews.com/2020/03/03/who-is-getting-sick-and-how-sick-a-breakdown-of-coronavirus-risk-by-demographic-factors/ Retrieved 6 Jun 2020
