San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond is against forcing rule-following businesses to close again

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Starting at midnight Tuesday evening, indoor operations at various businesses throughout San Diego County will cease in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 cases.

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated health order Monday, all indoor operations will halt at midnight Tuesday in gyms, houses of worship, non- critical office businesses, hair salons and barber shops, indoor malls and personal care services, such as massage businesses and tattoo parlors.

Of the total positive cases, 2,052 or 10.1% have been hospitalized and 538 or 2.6% of cases have been admitted to an intensive care unit. No new community outbreaks were reported Monday, but the weekly total – – 17 — is still well above the county’s metric of no more than seven in a one-week span.

Supervisor Jim Desmond has been an advocate of an accelerated reopening process. Now that Governor Newsom has ordered closure of so many businesses that have been following all the rules and seen no outbreaks, Desmond is fighting for them to be able to continue operations.

Desmond released a statement after Newsom’s announcement stating, “the latest shutdowns by Governor Newsom are entirely unwarranted. Our hospital numbers are not going up. Our testing is focused on the most vulnerable and those with symptoms, which is why you see an increase. In light of today’s decision, we must look at all options so that our businesses have a chance of surviving.”

Desmond has also been critical of Newsom’s order to close indoor religious services, and the SDUSD’s decision to hold classes online for the 2020 school year.