The term ‘California Dream’ used to be commonplace. It used to mean something. Now that term has faded into a tragic joke. From now on the term to describe the Golden State is ‘California Crazy.’
Despite insanely restrictive lockdowns for 10 months, travel restrictions, quarantine requirements, business closures, mask mandates and school closures, California has some of the worst COVID numbers in the nation. The state currently has a total of just over 3,800 COVID fatalities. Of course, in a state of 40 million that is .0095% of the population, but we’re really not allowed to put perspective on COVID-19 numbers these days. That little tidbit was for the curious.
In a state like this one, there is no such thing as policy failure. If a policy isn’t working, we just get more of it.
On Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health announced new “guidance” for people in California who have the nerve to want to wander around their free country. CDPH wants Californians to stay within 120 miles of their residences except for “essential” travel. They also demand those gross “non-essential” travelers don’t come at all, but if they must, then they should quarantine for 10 days. Everyone traveling for anything should also quarantine for 10 days upon return to California.
Amid the current COVID-19 surge, it is imperative that California take steps necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19 and contain new sources of infection. The State is issuing the following recommendations, which supercede the Travel Advisory issued on November 13, 2020 and shall apply prospectively from January 6, 2021:
Non-Essential Travel [i]
1. Except in connection with essential travel, Californians should avoid non-essential travel to any part of California more than 120 miles from one’s place of residence, or to other states or countries. Avoiding travel reduces the risk of virus transmission, including by reducing the risk that new sources of infection and, potentially, new virus strains will be introduced to California.
2. Non-essential travelers from other states or countries are strongly discouraged from entering California, and should adhere to the quarantine procedures set forth in Paragraph 3.
Quarantine Post-Travel
3. All persons arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries, should self-quarantine for 10 days [ii] after arrival, except as necessary to meet urgent critical healthcare staffing needs or to otherwise engage in emergency response. Additionally, this recommendation does not apply to individuals who routinely cross state or country borders for essential travel [iii].
A Local Health Officer may determine if and when the situation within the Local Health Offficer’s jurisdiction warrants measures that are more restrictive than this statewide order, and retains authority to implement such measures.
While there is no doubt that California is suffering a COVID-19 surge, the “solutions” to the surges have all so far been completely useless. Perhaps the solutions don’t lie in restricting free, healthy citizens, but in bulking up the healthcare system, focusing on treatments and vaccinations and educating the public about safe practices.
At this point the onslaught of “guidances” and orders and closures and lectures from Warden Governor Newsom has created a numbness among an exhausted constituency. Good, healthy, law-abiding taxpayers are being treated as the enemy, instead of the virus.
Newsom needs to start arresting people for moving about freely – which he knows he cannot do – or shut up.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member