Gov. Newsom Orders California Lockdown After 18 Coronavirus Deaths : All But Essential Workers Told to Stay Home Due to Coronavirus

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order Thursday night that everyone stay home except essential personal and essential travel. Newsom said the order would not be enforced by police but that he expected social pressure to make people follow the edict to help suppress spread of the Chinese coronavirus COVID-19.

“BREAKING: “We direct a statewide order for people to stay at home. That directive goes into force this evening,” says @GavinNewsom”

BREAKING: "We direct a statewide order for people to stay at home. That directive goes into force this evening," says @GavinNewsom

— John Myers (@johnmyers) March 20, 2020

“Newsom says it’s not a law enforcement mandate. “We will have social pressure that will encourage people to do the right thing,” he says.”

Newsom’s announcement followed by hours a shelter in place order for Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti.

#BREAKING: We just went from an LA County order to stay at home, to a STATEWIDE order by @GavinNewsom.

"People will self-regulate... we will have social pressure to do the right thing." pic.twitter.com/XpRs2qxmg5

— Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) March 20, 2020

Newsom speech on Periscope:

Governor Gavin Newsom makes a major announcement on California’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. https://t.co/VlQM38OkYK

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) March 20, 2020

New government website:

CA is issuing a statewide, mandatory STAY AT HOME order.

Those that work in critical sectors should go to work. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and more will stay open.

We need to meet this moment and flatten the curve together.

Go to https://t.co/xtXFwVeWc2 to learn more.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 20, 2020

News sent a letter to President Trump dated March 18 in which he warned 56% of Californians, 25.5 million, will be infected in eight weeks.

Whoa—

In his letter to the President, Governor Gavin Newsom warns the state projects roughly 56% of California’s population will be infected with the virus over an 8 week period.

That’s 25.5 million people. pic.twitter.com/Qf8kIOi6JS

— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) March 19, 2020