California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered residents statewide to stay at home in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The order, which goes into effect on Thursday at midnight and will last “until further notice,” will affect nearly 40 million people.
“This is a moment we need to make tough decisions,” Newsom said at a press conference on Thursday evening. “This is a moment where we need some straight talk and we need to tell people the truth: We need to bend the curve in the state of California.”
Residents will still be allowed to go out for essential activities, which include going to grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, and laundromats. Dine-in restaurants (aside from delivery and takeout), bars, gyms, and all other non-essential public events and services will be closed.
Newsom’s announcement comes moments after Los Angeles County officials announced a “safer at home” emergency order on Thursday evening that will require all residents — beginning at midnight — to stay at home and limit movement outside unless it is absolutely essential.
The order also closes all non-essential retail businesses and prohibits all public or private gatherings of 10 people or more that occur outside of a single-family home. It will remain in effect until April 19, with the possibility of an extension.
“The only time you should leave your home should be for essential activities,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
Officials said that businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and health care will remain open. But shopping malls, playgrounds, and all other non-essential retail businesses will be ordered to close. Deliveries and public transportation will still be allowed to continue.
The mayors of Long Beach and Pasadena also announced that they would be implementing a similar order in their respective cities.
Garcetti’s address took on a somber tone, likening the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as equivalent to a 9/11 “moment” for the current generation of Angelenos and Americans — one he named “Generation C.”
“I don’t want to sugar coat it,” Garcetti said. “This will be a day that stretches and tests the soul of the city.”
The mayor also addressed the “young and healthy” to warn them that they are not “exempt” from the possibility of getting ill from the virus.
“We cannot wait, and we must act now,” he said. “If we can slow the spread, we can buy days.”
10 Movies With Social Distancing to Watch While You're in Isolation, From 'Home Alone' to 'The Martian' (Photos)
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.
20th Century Fox
"Home Alone" (1990) This John Hughes classic follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister abandoned at home as his family forgets him on their way to a Christmas vacation. Macaulay Culkin broke into stardom as Kevin, warding off home invaders. "Home Alone" was nominated for two Oscars and grossed $477.1 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
"Cast Away" (2000) Tom Hanks plays a FedEx executive stranded on an island in the Pacific after a violent storm crashes his plane. He spends four years alone on an island with only a volleyball named Wilson as company. "Cast Away" garnered two Oscar nominations and grossed $429.6 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"I Am Legend" (2007) This Will Smith thriller based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name is set years after a virus kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters. Robert Neville (Smith), apparently the sole survivor in New York City, valiantly searches for a cure. "I Am Legend" grossed $585.4 million at the box office worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Into the Wild" (2007) Written and directed by Sean Penn, this film follows recent college graduate Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) as he gives up his possessions life savings to hitchhike and live in the Alaska wilderness. "Into the Wild" was based on Jon Krakauer's 1996 non-fiction book by the same name, which was an expansion of a 9,000-word article by Krakauer on McCandless titled "Death of an Innocent." The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and grossed $56.7 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Vantage
"Disturbia" (2007) This modern take on Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" follows high school student Kale Brecht, placed under house arrest for the summer. He keeps tabs on his neighbors to avoid getting bored, falls in love and suspects one of them to be a serial killer. "Disturbia" grossed $118.1 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Pictures
"Moon" (2009) If you're starting to talk to yourself, check out Sam Rockwell in "Moon," one of many films about an astronaut alone in space on this list. The film offers a nice wrinkle as it follows a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Moon. "Moon" grossed $9.8 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Sony Pictures Classics
"127 Hours" (2010) James Franco stars in another film based on a true story. The film follows a mountain climber who finds himself trapped under a boulder for... 127 hours. He ultimately has to resort to desperate measures in order to survive. "127 Hours" was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $60.7 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Fox Searchlight
"Gravity" (2013) This Alfonso Cuarón-directed space disaster film puts Sandra Bullock through the ringer as an astronaut struggling to get back to earth after space debris leaves her and her partner, played by George Clooney, stranded in space. "Gravity" won seven Oscars, including best director, and grossed $723.2 million at the global box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Wild" (2014) Based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," the film stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, determined to complete the one thousand one hundred mile solo hike as a way to recover from a personal tragedy. "Wild" was nominated for two Oscars, including best actress, and grossed $52.5 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Photo by Anne Marie Fox Searchlight
"The Martian" (2015) After being stranded on Mars, with the rest of his crew assuming him dead, astronaut Mark Watney is forced to use his wits and knowledge as a botanist to survive alone on the planet for a year. "The Martian" was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $630.2 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
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Confinement loves company
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
