California governor issues order allowing state to commandeer hotels if needed to treat coronavirus patients
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order on Thursday addressing the coronavirus pandemic, saying his goal is to "fully implement these procedures and protocols to slow down the spread, to get through a peak, and to get through the next few months, so we don't overwhelm our health care delivery system."
His executive order allows the state to take over hotels and medical facilities if necessary to treat coronavirus patients, and also gives government officials the ability to hold private teleconferences without violating open meeting laws.
In California, 198 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, Newsom said, a 10 percent increase from Wednesday. Earlier in the day, he called for the statewide cancellation of all gatherings of 250 or more people.
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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