Newsom Implores Residents To Use Face Coverings Over The Fourth
Sacramento, CA – While no one will be patrolling backyards to enforce mask-wearing, the California governor is urging residents to follow COVID-19 protocol over the Fourth.
At his Thursday briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom implored folks to use common sense over the holiday weekend and consider skipping traditional gatherings with family and friends. “We’re just encouraging people to be safe, to be thoughtful about themselves and others.”
He also debuted a new public awareness campaign using billboards, TV, radio, and social media ads in multiple languages to promote the need to follow the state’s mandated wearing of face coverings.
The new campaign has been partially funded by Silicon Valley groups and philanthropists including former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer, who is heading up the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery.
California enters the holiday weekend as hospitalizations and infection rates are on the rise and some businesses have been forced to close along with beaches and fireworks shows and other large gatherings celebrating Independence Day have been canceled.
Newsom also said state agencies will be forming “strike teams” to monitor businesses, ensuring they are complying with COVID-19 protocol including the face covering requirement.
Locally, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties are among those with spikes in COVID-19 cases although neither is yet to appear on the state’s monitoring list. However neighboring counties San Joaquin and Stanislaus are having to roll back their opening phase due to surging numbers. Local public health and government officials are urging residents to unite by complying to help protect the community.
