With Virus Spreading in Homes, U.S. Governors Run Out of Weapons
- Newsom sets trigger for regional stay-home order in California
- Moves ignite debate over role that small gatherings may play
Governors and mayors have cracked down on schools, restaurants, gyms, nursing homes, places of worship and much more. But enforcement is proving almost useless in Americans’ homes, where some leaders insist that hang-out culture is a major source of pandemic risk.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is the latest to try: On Thursday, he declared regional stay-home orders whenever intensive-care unit availability drops below 15%. Earlier this week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered 4 million residents to stay indoors without visitors or face fines and imprisonment. And New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is running ads warning of “living-room spread” -- infection via small gatherings in homes and other private spaces that he says account for 70% of new cases.