ALL California Beaches Closed Effective Friday May 1: (Orange, Newport Beach: how much, gyms)

[goodheathen]

Originally Posted by landlock

Seems like there's no simple answer. It's not about "sit padlocked in your places, with a National Guard soldier near every door taking your temperature every few minutes" versus "open up everything immediately and exactly to pre-COVID state". There're many transition states. I'd draw a line where restrictions to access nature start: there's no valid logic behind this and it also cuts people off from very fundamental and essential things and their own land, which is what public lands are. They can require to wear a mask on the beach (though it'd be unnecessary considering all the wind and open air), just like they require one to wear some clothing, but cutting off all access or not allowing one to sit on their towel on the sand is not right.

If it were that simple to get people to wear masks on the beach, that would be the solution. Since in the summer it ranges between uncomfortable and impractical, beach closures will happen instead.

[landlock]

Originally Posted by goodheathen

If it were that simple to get people to wear masks on the beach, that would be the solution. Since in the summer it ranges between uncomfortable and impractical, beach closures will happen instead.

Well unreasonable closures only will lead to mass violations, disobedience and deliberate touting of social distancing. Not a win even for control nuts.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by goodheathen

If it were that simple to get people to wear masks on the beach, that would be the solution. Since in the summer it ranges between uncomfortable and impractical, beach closures will happen instead.

Exactly. We can't even rely on people sitting or standing 6 ft apart at the beaches. If we could have, there would've been no need for the closures.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Exactly. We can't even rely on people sitting or standing 6 ft apart at the beaches. If we could have, there would've been no need for the closures.

There WAS no need for the closures. There is no evidence that people on the beach are spreading the virus. None. Orange County with its (up until now) open beaches has a Covid rate 7.5 times less than Los Angeles with its month-long beach closure.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by saibot

There WAS no need for the closures. There is no evidence that people on the beach are spreading the virus. None. Orange County with its (up until now) open beaches has a Covid rate 7.5 times less than Los Angeles with its month-long beach closure.

There isn’t enough known yet about CV19 to draw such simplistic parallels. The Indonesian island of Bali has a population of 4 million and is a strong destination for Chinese tourists at a rate of ½ million per month. Bali remained open to travel until late March. Yet they have had fewer than 400 cases of CV19. Meanwhile, Gallup NM has a population of less than 25,000, is not a tourist destination, and is one of America’s hot spots for the virus - so much so that roads into the city are now closed to travel.

How come?

We don’t have the data and studies yet to know. That’s why broad policies are put in place until we do.

[goodheathen]

Yeah, Tulemutt (can't rep now). This pandemic calls for proactive behavior, not waiting until things worsen.

As for California beaches specifically, they weren't crowded during the cooler months. Now is the time for a potential hot spot. If I were governor, I personally would have left the Orange County beaches open on some weekdays, with restrictions, but I'm not Newsom.

[saibot]

Newsom didn't base his decision to close OC beaches on science or data; he based it on emotion. He saw a few misleading photographs and reacted by "spanking" Orange County. It's not just me saying that. If you are actually interested, you should google and read the readily available statements from the law enforcement, sheriff, and mayors of the towns involved. Those who were actually on the ground at the time observing what was happening at the beaches, not sitting in an office hundreds of miles away.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by saibot

Newsom didn't base his decision to close OC beaches on science or data; he based it on emotion. He saw a few misleading photographs and reacted by "spanking" Orange County.

You really believe that the governor of a state with 40,000,000 people bases his decisions on emotion and by viewing a couple of photographs? Come on.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by saibot

Newsom didn't base his decision to close OC beaches on science or data; he based it on emotion. He saw a few misleading photographs and reacted by "spanking" Orange County. It's not just me saying that. If you are actually interested, you should google and read the readily available statements from the law enforcement, sheriff, and mayors of the towns involved. Those who were actually on the ground at the time observing what was happening at the beaches, not sitting in an office hundreds of miles away.

How do you know what he based his decision on?

And that others think the same as you means what? How do they know? Just a lot of speculation masquerading as insider knowledge.

[goodheathen]

Many more than 40,000.
It was just a few beaches in Orange County. Newsom said that. It's safe to assume he talked to them about doing more to prevent problems before deciding on closure. If only some beaches in the county had been closed, people would have crowded the open beaches.