Attorney Michael Curran reacts to San Diego COVID-19 enforcement order

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Amid rising COVID-19 case numbers and shrinking ICU capacity, San Diego mayor, Encinitas mayor, Carlsbad city Council are talking about additional enforcement of state and county COVID-19 safety orders.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria Wednesday signed an executive order calling for stronger enforcement of state and county public health orders throughout the city.

The newly elected mayor said he’s directed the San Diego Police Department and City Attorney’s Office to pursue fines of up to $1,000 and “potentially other enforcement actions against public nuisances who choose to endanger the lives of others and blatantly and egregiously defy the provisions of state and county public health orders.”

“As mayor, I cannot sit idly by as our local hospitals and morgues threaten to overflow as the coronavirus surges unchecked throughout our region,” Gloria said.

In a brief news conference announcing the executive order, Gloria had strong words for those he said have prolonged the pandemic “with their selfishness.”

“While many have sacrificed their social lives for a greater good, others have treated this with a sickening level of apathy as their neighbors died,” he said.

Attorney Michael Curran from Curran and Curran Law joined Good Morning San Diego to share his thoughts on the new order.

Curran said, ” Mayor Gloria calling the restaurants salons in gyms selfish completely misplaced, in fact, they have adapted they have been generous they have done everything they can to continue serving their community.”