As some states are preparing to loosen stay-at-home orders and phase businesses and other public spaces back into some semblance of normalcy, California Governor Gavin Newsom is doubling down and is expected to order the closure of all beaches in the state, as well as all state parks.
According to ABC30, a memo was sent by the California Police Chief’s Association noting the change, which was brought on by “the well-publicized media coverage of overcrowded beaches this past weekend.”
“We wanted to give all of our members a heads up about this in order to provide time for you to plan for any situations you might expect as a result, knowing each community has its own dynamics,” the memo added, according to CNN.
The order will take effect on May 1.
Earlier this week, Governor Newsom had reprimanded beachgoers who had flocked to the sand and sea in Orange County during a heatwave in Southern California.
“Those images are an example of what not to see, what not to do if we’re going to make the meaningful progress we’ve made this past couple of weeks,” Newsom said during a press conference on Monday, cautioning that such behavior could delay reopening, ABC30 notes.
However, not everyone is happy with the governor’s decision, with Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner voicing his own concerns over what he called an “overreaction from the state.”
“Medical professionals tell us the importance of fresh air and sunlight in fighting infectious diseases, including mental health benefits,” Wagner wrote in a statement, CNN reports. “Moreover, Orange County citizens have been cooperative with California state and county restrictions thus far. I fear that this overreaction from the state will undermine that cooperative attitude and our collective efforts to fight the disease, based on the best available medical information.”