ESCONDIDO (KUSI) – Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has come under fire from some business groups and political opponents for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and imposition of economic restrictions, insisted Monday the lifting of regional stay-at-home orders was based on scientific projections of future hospital demand — not politics.
The stay-at-home order for the 11-county Southern California region was imposed Dec. 6 when the regional intensive-care unit capacity dropped below 15%. The state announced Monday morning the order in Southern California and all other regions of the state was being lifted, based on a four-week projection of future ICU demand.
Critics were quick to lash out at Newsom over the announcement.