Documenting California's path to recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

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Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains a general timeline of noteworthy state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020. It also includes details on three specific types of state responses to the pandemic:

• Statewide travel restrictions
• School reopenings and closures
• Statewide mask requirements

Additionally, the article includes:

• Noteworthy coronavirus lawsuits
• Diagnosed or quarantined officials and candidates

Response news updates

The following section provides a timeline of California's reopening activity beginning in April 2020. The entries, which come from our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order. The date shown is the day that we wrote about them in the newsletter. They appear exactly as they appeared in the newsletter.

July 2021

• July 27: On Monday, July 26, the state of California announced that all state employees and healthcare workers would be required to show proof of vaccination or be tested at least once a week for COVID-19. The policy will take effect Aug. 2, for state workers, and Aug. 9, for healthcare workers. The deadline for full compliance for health care facilities is Aug. 23.
• July 15: On July 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the passage of the California Comeback Plan. Included in the law are provisions for direct payments to California residents, and appropriations for renter assistance and small business relief programs.

June 2021

• June 17: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state is partnering with Six Flags to offer 50,000 free amusement park tickets to residents who receive their first or second dose of a vaccine starting June 16. For more information and a list of all participating healthcare providers, click here.
• June 15:
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is ending the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and lifting most state restrictions on business activity statewide June 15. Social distancing restrictions and all remaining capacity limits are ending. Indoor events with more than 5,000 people have to require proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test from all attendees.
  • Fully vaccinated residents are exempt from the statewide mask mandate starting June 15. Fully vaccinated residents still have to wear masks on public transit (and in transportation hubs like airports), in indoor childcare and K-12 school settings, in healthcare settings, and in congregate settings (including prisons and homeless shelters). Masks are still required for unvaccinated people in all indoor public settings and businesses.
• June 4: On June 3, the California Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board passed rules requiring masks to be worn in workplaces where not all employees are fully vaccinated beyond June 15, the planned date for California to end its statewide mask mandate.

May 2021

• May 28: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a vaccine incentive program called Vax for the Win on May 27. Californians ages twelve and up who have received at least one vaccine dose can participate in a drawing for $50,000, for which 30 winners will be selected, and a drawing for $1.5 million, for which ten winners will be selected. Additionally, beginning May 27, the next two million people to begin and complete their vaccination will receive a $50 prepaid card—for use online or in-stores wherever major debit cards are accepted—or grocery gift card.
• May 18: Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly announced the statewide mask order will end June 15.

April 2021

• April 15:
  • Indoor venues can reopen for events beginning April 15. Capacity limits are based on the county’s color tier and whether the event has testing and vaccination requirements.
  • All residents age 16 and older are eligible for vaccination starting April 15.
• April 7: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced he is targeting June 15 to fully reopen the economy statewide. If Blueprint for a Safer Economy restrictions are lifted on June 15, masks will still be required. Newsom said the state will reopen if the vaccine supply is sufficient for anyone who wants a vaccine to get an appointment within two weeks and the state considers hospitalizations stable and low. To read more about reopening and the state’s criteria, click here.
• April 5: On April 2, the state announced that indoor venues can reopen for events beginning April 15. Capacity limits will be based on the county’s color tier and whether the event has testing and vaccination requirements.
• April 1: Residents 50 and older will be eligiblefor vaccination starting April 1.

March 2021

• March 26: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announcedpeople 50 and older will be eligible for vaccination starting April 1. All residents 16 and older will be eligible for vaccination starting April 15.
• March 16:
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) changed the state’s reopening plan to make it easier for counties to move out of the purple (most restrictive) mitigation tier into less-restrictive tiers. On March 14, 13 counties moved from the purple to red tier. To see restrictions by county or tier, click here.
  • On March 15, adults with state-defined, high-risk underlying conditions (including cancer, severe obesity, and type 2 diabetes), additional frontline workers (including public transit employees), and anyone living or working in a congregate living facility like a prison or homeless shelter became eligible for vaccination.
• March 5: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state will allocate 40% of its vaccine supply to neighborhoods in the bottom quartile of the Healthy Places Index. Once two million vaccines are distributed to those communities, the state will change its reopening plan to make it easier for counties to move out of the purple (most restrictive) mitigation tier into less-restrictive tiers.
• March 1: The Department of Public Health’s (DPH) plan to allocate at least 10% of the state’s vaccine doses to teachers and school staff goes into effect March 1. Education workers have been eligible for vaccination since January, but the DPH said the plan will accelerate vaccinations for the group.

February 2021

• February 24: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a $9.6 billion package of bills he says are meant for coronavirus aid (bills AB 81, AB 82, AB 85, SB 87, SB 88, and SB 94) into law. The package includes $600 direct payments to households with incomes less than $30,000. Some taxpayers who did not qualify for federal stimulus payments will also be eligible for $600 payments. For more details, click here.
• February 18: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a coronavirus aid package agreement with legislative leaders. The proposed package includes $600 direct payments to households with incomes less than $30,000. Some taxpayers who did not qualify for federal stimulus payments will also be eligible for $600 payments. For more details, click here.
• February 17: Health Secretary Mark Ghaly announced the state will expand vaccine eligibility to individuals with state-defined severe disabilities and high-risk health conditions. Qualifying conditions will include down syndrome, cancer, and severe obesity.
• February 16: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the launch of the state’s Safe Schools Reopening Map. The map includes reopening statuses and safety planning protocols in school districts, charter schools, and private schools.
• February 8: In a Feb. 5 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court held 6-3 that the state’s ban on religious services in purple-tier counties (with the strictest mitigation rules) was unconstitutional. Justices Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented. In response to the ruling, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced indoor worship services are allowed at 25% capacity in purple tier counties on Feb. 6.

January 2021

• January 28: Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state will revise its vaccination plan. The current phase (including healthcare workers, individuals age 65 and older, school staff, workers in the food and agriculture industries, and first responders) will stay the same. Newsom said future phases will change to prioritize individuals based on age and will deprioritize younger essential workers (like people in the manufacturing or transportation industries), homeless people, and inmates.
• January 25: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) lifted the regional stay-at-home orders and statewide 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew on Jan. 25. Counties are returning to the color-coded tier system that existed before Newsom issued the regional stay-at-home orders. Stay-at-home orders applied to the Southern California, San Joaquin Valley, and Bay Area regions (which contain about 90% of the state’s population). The first regional orders went into effect Dec. 5, 2020.
• January 14: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced individuals age 65 and older are next in line for the coronavirus vaccine. Currently, the state is distributing vaccines to healthcare workers and nursing home residents.
• January 13: The state lifted the Greater Sacramento region’s stay-at-home order on Jan. 12, marking the first time a regional stay-at-home order has ended in California. The region's stay-at-home order began on Dec. 10. Three of the state’s five regions still have active stay-at-home orders. Counties in the Greater Sacramento region are now subject to the state’s color-coded risk level restrictions. For more information on restrictions in each county, click here.
• January 4: Health Secretary Mark Ghaly extended the stay-at-home order for the Greater Sacramento region. Restrictions will remain effective until the region’s four-week projected available ICU capacity is equal to or greater than 15%.

December 2020

• December 30: Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly extended the stay-at-home orders for the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions through at least Jan. 16, 2021. Stay-at-home orders are still effective through at least Jan. 1 in the Greater Sacramento region and through at least Jan. 7 in the Bay Area region.
• December 18: The state added the Bay Area to its regional stay-at-home order effective Dec. 17 at 11:59 p.m. The restrictions will last until at least Jan. 7. The Bay Area is the fourth of the state’s five regions to enter the stay-at-home order.
• December 10: Counties in the Greater Sacramento region will be added to the state’s regional stay-at-home order effective Dec. 10 at 11:59 p.m. The restrictions will last until at least Jan. 1. The Greater Sacramento region will be the third of the state’s five regions to trigger the stay-at-home order.
• December 7: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) regional stay-at-home order took effect Dec. 5. The order requires regions to implement the stay-at-home restrictions within 24 hours if ICU capacity falls below 15%. Restrictions will last for at least three weeks after they are triggered or until a region’s four-week projected ICU capacity is equal to or greater than 15%. The stay-at-home restrictions are effective in two of the state’s five regions, affecting about 85% of the state’s population. Individuals are required to stay home except for essential activities. Businesses like personal care services (including barbershops), indoor entertainment and recreational facilities, and bars are required to close. Restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery only.
• December 4: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a regional stay-at-home order, effective Dec. 5. A region must implement the stay-at-home restrictions within 24 hours if ICU capacity falls below 15%. Restrictions will last for at least three weeks after they are triggered or until a region’s four-week projected ICU capacity is equal to or greater than 15%. Newsom said four of the state’s five regions are expected to fall under the stay-at-home restrictions within days. Individuals will be required to stay home except for essential activities. Businesses like personal care services (including barbershops), indoor entertainment and recreational facilities, and bars will be required to close. Restaurants will be limited to takeout and delivery only. Hotels are prohibited from accepting reservations from non-essential, out-of-state travelers unless their stay will equal or exceed the 14-day quarantine period.

November 2020

• November 23: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced nonessential work, movement, and gatherings are prohibited between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. every night in purple-tier counties, effective Nov. 21.
• November 17: The California Department of Public Health expanded the state’s mask requirements. The new guidance requires individuals to wear masks whenever they are outside of their homes unless they are outdoors and can maintain six feet of social distancing. Masks are not required while eating or drinking, driving in a car with household members, or working in a private office space. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also moved 28 counties back to the purple (most restrictive) phase of reopening, which prohibits indoor service at state-defined non-essential businesses like gyms and restaurants.

October 2020

• October 22: The California Department of Public Health issued updated guidance for personal care service businesses that permits them to resume limited in-person operations, regardless of the risk status of their county.
• October 21: The state released guidance for reopening theme parks. Under the rules, large parks like Disneyland will not be able to reopen until the counties where they are located enter the yellow risk tier.
• October 13: The state released guidelines that permit individuals from up to three households to gather privately.
• October 7: The Department of Health moved Tehama County back to the purple reopening tier (the most restrictive classification) and Shasta County back to red after coronavirus cases increased. Ventura, Merced, and Yuba counties moved from purple into the red tier of reopening. Inyo County moved from red to orange, and Humboldt, Plumas, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties moved from orange to yellow.
• October 2: Health Secretary Mark Ghaly said the state will implement what it calls an equity metric for reopening. The rule will require counties to reduce infection rates in state-defined disadvantaged communities before they can move to a less restrictive phase of reopening.

September 2020

• September 30: The state’s public health department announced new guidelines that permit outdoor playgrounds to reopen statewide.
• September 23: Health and Human Services Director Mark Ghaly announced Riverside, Alameda, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, and Solano counties could move from purple into the red phase of reopening. Ghaly also said El Dorado, Lassen, and Nevada counties could move into the orange phase, and Mariposa County could enter the yellow phase. The changes were effective Sept. 22.
• September 17: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that Oregon and Washington agreed to participate in a multistate pilot test of Apple and Google’s exposure notification technology. The technology notifies individuals who may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for coronavirus based on geolocation data.
• September 16: Inyo, Marin, and Tehama counties moved from the most restrictive purple tier to the red tier of reopening, which is the next most restrictive. Moving to the red tier means that movie theaters in those counties may partially reopen. Thirty of the state’s 58 counties remain in the purple tier.
• September 15: The California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA) issued a statement asking Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to release guidelines to allow amusement parks to reopen. CAPA represents parks including Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Legoland.
• September 11: The California Department of Public Health released a list of 414 schools that had applied for and received a waiver to begin in-person instruction. An additional 10 schools applied for the waiver but were denied. The waiver applies only to grades Transitional Kindergarten through 6th. These schools are all in counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list.
• September 10: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB 1867, which requires paid sick days for any employee who has been exposed to or tests positive for coronavirus.
• September 9: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that conditions in Amador, Orange, Placer, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties had improved enough to let them move into Phase Two of the state’s four-phase reopening plan. Indoor dining at restaurants, in-person religious services, and operation of movie theaters can all resume at 25% capacity.
• September 1: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation extending the moratorium on evictions through Jan. 31, 2021, as long as renters pay at least 25% of their rent and file a declaration with their landlord.

August 2020

• August 31: On Aug. 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) released a new color-coded reopening plan. Counties will be classified as one of four colors based on coronavirus spread in each county. They are, in decreasing order of severity, purple, red, orange, and yellow. Different business restrictions will apply to each of the color levels.
• August 27: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a $1.7 billion testing contract with diagnostics firm PerkinElmer. The company will set up a laboratory to report test results within 24 to 48 hours, allowing for tens of thousands of tests to be processed per day by November with a goal of 150,000 per day by March 1, 2021. Newsom said this testing capacity will give the state “the ability to make decisions in real time that will advance our efforts to reopen our schools . . . reopen our businesses in a more effective and efficient manner, and a more sustainable manner.”
• August 25: Orange, Mono, and Sierra counties were removed from the state’s coronavirus watchlist. Each county had decreases in new cases, transmission rates, and hospitalizations for three consecutive days. Removal from the watchlist begins a 14-day monitoring window before schools can reopen and certain industries such as gyms and personal care businesses can reopen.
• August 20: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that the state would release guidelines for reopening businesses and ending stay-at-home orders within the next week. Newsom said the guidelines would vary by sector and counties could potentially reopen at different rates based on health statistics.
• August 7: California released reopening guidance for colleges and universities. The guidance requires students and staff to wear masks in all indoor public spaces. In counties on the state’s monitoring list, only courses like labs and studio arts will be allowed to take place in-person.
• August 4: The California Department of Public Health created a waiver for elementary schools in counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list. The waiver would allow schools to open for in-person instruction as long as they meet certain criteria.

July 2020

• July 28: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would spend $52 million in eight counties in California’s Central Valley to fund improved isolation protocols, testing protocols, and more medical personnel.
• July 22: EdSource reported that school districts could petition their local county health departments to reopen elementary schools to in-person instruction. The petition would waive Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) July 17 order closing all public schools in the counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list. The waiver provision appeared as a footnote in a document on reopening schools to in-person learning released by the Department of Public Health (DPH) on July 17 but was not included in the “Industry Guidance: Schools” document released by DPH or in a press release from Newsom’s office announcing the closure.
• July 21: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced guidelines for hair salons, barbershops, and other personal care services. Those services are required to close indoor operations in counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list but may continue operations outdoors with customers and staff wearing masks at all times.
• July 20: On July 17, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list would begin the school year with online education only. As of July 20, 33 of the state’s 58 counties were on the watch list, which is based on new infections per capita, test positivity rate, and hospitalization rate.
• July 13: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ordered the following industries and activities to close statewide: indoor operations at all restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums, cardrooms, and all operations at bars. He also ordered 30 counties to close indoor operations for fitness centers, places of worship, non-essential offices, personal care services, hair salons and barbershops, and malls. All affected counties are on the state’s COVID-19 watchlist.
• July 1: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ordered that the 19 counties on the state’s monitoring list shut down indoor service at restaurants, wineries, movie theaters and other family entertainment, museums, zoos, and card rooms. Bars in those counties must close all operations. Four of the state’s five most populous counties—Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino—are on the list. The other county not on the list is San Diego.

June 2020

• June 29: On June 27, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ordered seven counties (including Los Angeles) to close bars. Newsom recommended that nine additional counties also close bars.
• June 23: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he would consider reclosing portions of the state’s economy if positive case rates and hospitalizations continue to increase. Newsom confirmed that 54 of 58 counties had met the state’s criteria to proceed to Phase Two of reopening, but officials were closely monitoring metrics in 11 counties.
• June 19: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive order mandating residents wear face masks while in public or high-risk settings.
• June 9: The California Department of Education released a 55-page guidance document for reopening schools to public instruction. The guidance includes temperature checks before entering schools or buses, face coverings for staff and students, and physical distancing requirements.
• June 8: On June 7, the state released guidance for Phase Three of its economic reopening, which would allow individual counties to begin reopening gyms, bars, schools, and professional sports as early as June 12.

May 2020

• May 27: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that barbershops and salons could reopen on May 27 in the counties that had already progressed to Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan. The state published guidance containing social distancing and sanitation protocols.
• May 26: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) released guidelines on May 25 for the reopening of religious buildings. The guidelines took effect immediately, allowing churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious worship sites to reopen. Facilities will be limited to 25 percent of the building’s capacity or 100 people, whichever is lower. The guidelines also require temperature screenings at the door, face coverings, and social distancing. The guidelines are set to last for 21 days before being re-evaluated by the state’s health department.
• May 20: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said that schools in the state would not have a shared common reopening. Instead, individual districts will set reopening dates, with some targeting reopening as early as June. This is similar to the way the schools were closed to in-person instruction. The state recommended that all schools close on March 20, but many districts had already closed by that time.
• May 19: On May 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that roughly 53 of California's 58 counties could move into Phase 2 of reopening. To reopen, each county must notify the California Department of Public Health in writing that they have met the state’s reopening criteria, including fewer than 25 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the county over a 14-day period.
• May 13: Eleven counties in California—Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tuolumne, and Yuba-Sutter—were approved to reopen more quickly than the rest of the state. Read more on California's reopening plan in our "Featured plan" section below.

April 2020

• April 30: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) released an updated recovery roadmap. He said the state was still several weeks away from being able to make any of the changes, but that hospitalizations had remained stable for several weeks. The first things to potentially open under the new roadmap would be curbside retail, manufacturing, offices where telework is not possible, and public spaces. California is a Democratic trifecta.

Vaccine distribution

This section contains a table of quick facts on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and a timeline of noteworthy events, including updates on vaccine availability for new groups of individuals, changes to state distribution plans, and much more. If you know of a noteworthy story we are missing, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

The California Department of Public Health released a distribution plan on October 16, 2020.

Quick facts

California state vaccination plan quick information
What governing entities are responsible for vaccine allocation and distribution?	COVID-19 California Governor's Vaccine Task Force
Where can I find a quick breakdown of phases in my state?	When you can get vaccinated
Where can I find the distribution plan?	California COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan
When was the plan first released to the public?	October 16, 2020
When was the plan most recently updated?	October 16, 2020
Where can I find answers to frequently asked questions?	COVID-19 Vaccine: Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find data related to the coronavirus vaccine in my state?	Vaccination progress dashboard
Where is the state health department's homepage?	California Department of Public Health
Where can I find additional information about the state's vaccine distribution?	The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in California - AARP

Timeline

• Nov. 9, 2021: California Public Health Department Director Tomás Aragón sent a letter to local health jurisdictions and providers saying residents 18 and older were eligible to receive a booster vaccination if six months had passed since they received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two months had passed since they received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
• June 16, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state was partnering with Six Flags to offer 50,000 free amusement park tickets to residents who received their first or second dose of a vaccine starting June 16. For more information and a list of participating healthcare providers, click here.
• May 27, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a vaccine incentive program called Vax for the Win. Californians ages twelve and up who had received at least one vaccine dose could participate in a drawing for $50,000, for which 30 winners would be selected, and a drawing for $1.5 million, for which ten winners would be selected. Additionally, beginning May 27, the next two million people who began and completed their vaccination would receive a $50 prepaid card—for use online or in-stores wherever major debit cards are accepted—or grocery gift card.
• April 15, 2021: California residents 16 and older became eligible for vaccination.
• April 1, 2021: California residents 50 and older became eligible for vaccination.
• March 25, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced people 50 and older will be eligible for vaccination starting April 1. All residents 16 and older will be eligible for vaccination starting April 15.
• March 15, 2021: California adults with state-defined, high-risk underlying conditions (including cancer, severe obesity, and type 2 diabetes), additional frontline workers (including public transit employees), and anyone living or working in a congregate living facility like a prison or homeless shelter became eligible for vaccination.
• March 4, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would allocate 40% of its vaccine supply to neighborhoods in the bottom quartile of the Healthy Places Index. Newsom said once two million vaccines were distributed to those communities, the state would change its reopening plan to make it easier for counties to move out of the purple (most restrictive) mitigation tier into less-restrictive tiers.
• March 1, 2021: The California Department of Public Health’s (DPH) plan to allocate at least 10% of the state’s vaccine doses to teachers and school staff became effective. Education workers were eligible for vaccination since January, but the DPH said the plan would accelerate vaccinations for the group.
• February 12, 2021: California Health Secretary Mark Ghaly announced the state would expand vaccine eligibility to individuals with state-defined severe disabilities and high-risk health conditions. Qualifying conditions will include down syndrome, cancer, and severe obesity.
• January 25, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would revise its vaccination plan. Newsom said future phases would change to prioritize individuals based on age and would deprioritize younger essential workers (like people in the manufacturing or transportation industries), homeless people, and inmates.
• January 13, 2021: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced individuals age 65 and older were next in line for the coronavirus vaccine. At the time of the announcement, the state was distributing vaccines to healthcare workers and nursing home residents.

School reopenings and closures

See also: School responses in California to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Schools in California were closed to in-person instruction on March 19, 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. To notify us of when schools were allowed to reopen statewide, email us. The timeline below lists statewide responses we tracked.

• June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported about half of schools were in-person in California.
• March 15, 2021: California Judge Cynthia Freeland issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the California's Safe Schools for All reopening framework through March 30. The order temporarily lifted the state's partial closure.
• Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were using virtual or hybrid learning in California .
• July 17, 2020: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list would begin the school year with online education only. As of July 20, 33 of the state’s 58 counties were on the watch list, which was based on new infections per capita, test positivity rate, and hospitalization rate.
• June 8, 2020: The California Department of Education released a 55-page guidance document for reopening schools to public instruction. The guidance included temperature checks before entering schools or buses, face coverings for staff and students, and physical distancing requirements.

• April 1, 2020: Newsom announced that schools would be physically closed for the remainder of the school year. This was not issued as a executive order, but media outlets reported that schools were unlikely to reopen before the end of the school year.
• March 19, 2020: Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order, closing schools. At the time of the order, 99 percent of schools in California were already closed via local decision.

Statewide travel restrictions

See also: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Does California have restrictions on travel? No. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued a travel advisory asking out-of-state travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The advisory asks residents to limit non-essential travel.

More information can be found at Visit California.

Timeline

• December 31, 2020: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an order requiring anyone entering the county from outside the Southern California Region to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. The order took effect January 1, 2021, and was set to remain in effect until the regional stay-at-home order expired. According to the California Department of Public Health, the Southern California Region includes the following counties: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura.
• November 28, 2020: The Santa Clara County Public Health Department issued a mandatory directive discouraging nonessential travel and requiring travelers coming from at least 150 miles outside of the county border to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The order took effect on November 30, 2020.
• November 13, 2020: Govs. Jay Inslee (D-Wa.), Kate Brown (D-Ore.), and Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) issued travel advisories asking out-of-state travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. They also asked residents to limit non-essential travel.

Statewide mask requirements

See also: State-level mask requirements in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

On June 18, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive order requiring individuals to wear face coverings when outside the home. The California Department of Public Health issued guidance on the use of face coverings, instructing citizens on general usage and exceptions. That guidance is embedded below.

Fully vaccinated residents became exempt from the statewide mask mandate starting June 15, 2021.

On Dec. 13, the California Department of Health announced a new statewide indoor mask requirement for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals would take effect on Dec. 15. The requirement only applied to local health jurisdictions that did not previously have a universal indoor mask requirement, meaning the order did not affect localities with pre-existing universal mask requirements.

On Jan. 5, 2022, the California Department of Health extended the state's indoor mask requirement through Feb. 15. On Feb. 7, Newsom announced vaccinated individuals would become exempt from the indoor mask requirement on Feb. 15. On Feb. 28, Newsom announced the state would end its mask requirement for unvaccinated individuals on March 1.

• Click here to expand the state's original mask requirements

Noteworthy lawsuits

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

A.A. v. Newsom: On March 17, 2021, a San Diego County judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of various school reopening provisions across California after a group of parents of public-school children filed suit. Under the state's school reopening plan, middle and high schools located in "purple" counties (i.e., counties with between 7 and 10 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents) were prohibited from reopening. The plaintiffs also challenged the plan's requirement that reopened schools maintain at least four feet between students in classrooms. The plaintiffs argued that these provisions violated California’s constitutional and statutory guarantees of a quality education, education equality, separation of powers, and due process. In her order, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Freeland sided with the plaintiffs, calling the state's school reopening plan "selective in its applicability, vague in its terms, and arbitrary in its prescriptions." In response to Freeland's order, California Health and Human Services Agency spokesman Rodger Butler said that the state would "continue to lead with science and health as we review this order and assess our legal options with a focus on the health and safety of California’s children and schools." Scott Davidson, an attorney for the plaintiffs, called the ruling "a huge validation of our position that remote learning is a failure, that education is a constitutional right and that these kids have been denied their right to an education with remote learning."

Barnes v. Ahlman: On August 5, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States stayed a district court order requiring Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes to implement multiple COVID-19 safety precautions at the county jail, pending appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The stay application was filed on an emergency basis and referred to the full court by Justice Elena Kagan. In a 5-4 opinion, the court halted implementation of the lower court order, which would have mandated fourteen health and safety requirements, including increased inmate access to testing, hand sanitizer, and other disinfectants; mandatory staff use of personal protective equipment; daily access to showers and laundry services; and appropriate access to medical care. The court's decision did not include a rationale, as is common in the case of emergency petitions. Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan wrote that they would not have granted the stay. Justice Sonia Sotomayor penned a dissent, which Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined. Sotomayor wrote, "Despite knowing the severe threat posed by COVID–19 and contrary to its own apparent policies, the jail exposed its inmates to significant risks from a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease." Reacting to the decision, an attorney for the inmates said, "[As] the courts delay and abdicate their responsibility to enforce the Constitution, our clients are exposed to serious risks of illness and death." Barnes made no public comment in immediate aftermath of the decision. The case returned to the Ninth Circuit on appeal.

Brandy et al v. Newsom et al: On March 27, 2020, the National Rifle Association and several other advocacy groups filed suit against Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after the governor's stay-at-home order closed gun stores statewide. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

On March 19, Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20, which directed individuals in California to stay home except as needed to maintain essential critical infrastructure. The shelter-in-place order did not have a specified end date.

County of Ventura v. Godspeak Calvary Chapel: On August 5, 2020, officials representing Ventura County, California, filed suit in Ventura County Superior Court against a local pastor, Rob McCoy, and his church for alleged violations of state and local COVID-19 health orders. In its complaint, the county sought a court order prohibiting McCoy, the church, and its congregants from "conducting, participating in, or attending any indoor services" and further prohibiting outdoor services unless the defendants fully comply with existing state and local health orders. The county's action followed complaints of various violations by the church, and media statements by McCoy that services included "singing, hugging, no masks." The suit alleged that, absent court intervention, the church’s actions "will cause and continue to cause great and irreparable injury to the general public ... including hospitalizations and deaths, which in turn is likely to result in continued and further restrictions on businesses and other operations and activities." McCoy said, "We grieve for the people that we've lost in our county, we don't make light of that, but to use that statistic and shutter all businesses, and then close churches ... what is the point of that?"

County of Fresno v. Immanuel Schools: On August 25, 2020, California Superior Court Judge D. Tyler Tharpe denied a request by Fresno County health officials to temporarily bar in-class instruction at a private Christian school, Immanuel Schools, pending a decision on the merits. The county's lawsuit sought to block the school from hosting in-person classes. In its complaint, Fresno County argued that the school’s reopening would violate state and local public health orders and constitute a public nuisance, noting that in-person class instruction presents "an immediate and serious threat to the health and safety of the students, parents, teachers and staff at Immanuel Schools,” as well as to "the surrounding area, which includes many of the vulnerable agricultural worker populations that are being heavily affected by the COVID-19 virus." Ruling from the bench, Tharpe refused to issue a temporary restraining order, finding that the county had failed to "make an affirmative factual showing and a declaration pertaining competent testimony based on personal knowledge of irreparable harm, immediate danger or any other steps or a basis" for blocking the school’s actions. Soon after Tharpe’s order, the school released a statement: "We know today’s decision is not permanent. Therefore, we will continue our legal efforts defending our rights to remain open." Daniel Cederborg, attorney for the county, also reacted to the decision, saying that, while the judge appeared to be "impressed with the schools’ opening plan," the decision "doesn’t show anything about the merits of the case."

Criswell v. Boudreaux: On July 29, 2020, a group of individuals incarcerated at the Tulare County Jails sued Sheriff Michael Boudreaux in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeking the implementation of an array of COVID-19 safety measures. The plaintiffs asked that the court issue an order directing Boudreaux to provide universal staff and inmate COVID-19 testing, release medically vulnerable inmates posing a low flight-risk, provide (and require staff to wear) personal protection equipment, allow attorney access to incarcerated clients, and quarantine those exposed to the novel coronavirus. The plaintiffs argued that Boudreaux had "actively interfered with incarcerated people’s ability to protect themselves" by failing to implement CDC-recommended virus response measures, thereby unconstitutionally subjecting the plaintiffs to "imminent danger of serious illness or death from the virus." Additionally, the plaintiffs claimed that Boudreaux "has prevented incarcerated people from engaging in confidential attorney visits" by designing a visitation policy that frustrates "efforts to meet confidentially with civil rights attorneys about the appalling conditions in the jail." The plaintiffs alleged that Boudreaux’s actions violated the First, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In a statement, Boudreaux contested these allegations, saying, "We are doing everything that we can with the information and tools available to us to keep our inmates safe and healthy."

Flores v. Barr: On June 26, 2020, Judge Dolly Gee, of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to transfer migrant children held at ICE Family Residential Centers (FRCs) to their families or sponsors by July 17, 2020. The order came as the result of a complaint filed on March 26, 2020, in which the plaintiffs, representing detained minors in a longstanding class action, alleged that continued detention of the minors "in congregate detention facilities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health national emergency" violated the Flores settlement. The Flores settlement is a 1997 court-supervised stipulated settlement agreement which governs the detention conditions and treatment of noncitizen migrant children held in federal custody. Gee’s order was limited to minors held at FRCs for more than 20 days. It provided that removal "shall be undertaken with all deliberate speed." The order went on to state that, prior to removal, "ICE shall urgently enforce its existing COVID-19 protocols," including social distancing, masking, and enhanced testing at all detention centers. Gee had previously ordered the federal government, on April 24, 2020, to "continue to make every effort to promptly and safely release" the minors, an order ICE appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on June 23, 2020.

Grace Community Church of the Valley v. Los Angeles County: On August 15, 2020, a three-judge panel of the California Second District Court of Appeal stayed a lower court order, which would have allowed a Los Angeles County church to hold indoor services, despite state and county COVID-19 restrictions. The appellate court stayed Judge James Chalfant’s temporary restraining order, which would have permitted the church to offer indoor services coupled with social distancing and face coverings. The appellate court found that the balance "between the harm that flows from the heightened risk of transmitting COVID-19 ... and the harm that flows from having to conduct religious services outdoors instead of indoors" favored the issuance of a stay. The church pastor, John MacArthur, conducted indoor services the day after the appellate court issued the stay, prompting Los Angeles County to file a motion in the lower court, asking that the church, parishioners who attended indoor services, and MacArthur be held in contempt of court and sanctioned a total of $20,000 in fines. At an August 20, 2020, hearing, Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff declined to issue a final written decision regarding the sanctions, with the two parties disagreeing on his oral findings. Attorneys for the church indicated that Beckloff had ruled in the church’s favor: "There is no court order prohibiting Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church from holding indoor worship services." Meanwhile, county officials said in a statement that they were "grateful that the court recognized the vital importance of our health officer orders in protecting the public health and continue to seek an opportunity to work with Grace Community Church to bring its services into compliance."

Harvest Rock Church, Inc. v. Newsom: On July 17, 2020, a group of California churches filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeking an injunction against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) COVID-19 restrictions on indoor worship services. In their complaint, the churches challenged Executive Order N-33-20, Public Health Guidance, and Guidance for Places of Worship, arguing that these policies unconstitutionally restricted gatherings for indoor services and home Bible study. Under these policies, in-person services were permitted only if certain measures, including social distancing and use of masks, were followed. Attendance was limited to 25 percent of building capacity with a maximum of 100 attendees. Additionally, guidance suggested that indoor singing and chanting be discontinued, as these present "increased likelihood for transmission [of Covid-19] from contaminated exhaled droplets." According to the churches, these restrictions violated their rights to freedom of assembly, speech, and free exercise of religion. The churches sought a court order "preventing plaintiffs, their pastors, and their congregants from being subject to criminal sanctions for participating in indoor worship services this Sunday, or singing or chanting therein, during which plaintiffs will implement social distancing and hygiene protections on an equal basis with permitted non-religious gatherings." The case was assigned to John F. Walter, an appointee of George W. Bush (R).

South Bay United Pentecostal Church, et al. v. Newsom: On May 29, 2020, the United States Supreme Court rejected a challenge to California's religious gathering limits, which order attendance in churches or places of worship to a maximum of 25% or 100 attendees. The 5-4 decision was joined by Chief Justice Roberts who warned against intervening in emergencies: "Where those broad limits are not exceeded, they should not be subject to second-guessing by an 'unelected federal judiciary,' which lacks the background, competence, and expertise to assess public health and is not accountable to the people." Justice Kavanaugh joined the remaining three Republican-appointed justices in dissenting from the ruling, arguing that the California limits "indisputably discriminates against religion."

Looney v. Newsom: On September 11, 2020, a group of parents filed suit in Shasta County Superior Court against California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and other state and local school officials, seeking to open schools for full-time in-person instruction. The parents, whose children attended public schools following hybrid schedules that mixed on-campus and distance learning, argued that these instruction methods constituted various violations of the California Constitution. The plaintiffs alleged that the hybrid model violated the "right to basic educational equality" and "led to substantial disparities in the quality and availability of opportunities." The plaintiffs also contended that Newsom’s emergency actions, and the statutory authority granting him the discretion to issue such actions, were impermissible violations of the California Constitution. They argued that "the legislature cannot delegate legislative power to the Governor or executive branch to restrict civil liberties" absent distinct limitations not included in the challenged actions. Newsom and the other defendants had not commented publicly on the suit as of September 18, 2020. The case was assigned to Judge Stephen H. Baker.

Gateway City Church v. Newsom: On February 26, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a California county to cease enforcement of heightened restrictions on religious gatherings, finding that these restrictions violated an earlier ruling that struck down Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D) prohibition against indoor church services. The case originated in Santa Clara County, which disallowed all indoor gatherings, including worship services, while allowing religious and secular establishments to operate at 20 percent capacity for all other purposes. Petitioners sought review from the Supreme Court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit preliminarily affirmed that the county's restriction did not violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs, finding that the "outcome is clearly dictated by this court's decision in South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom." While the order was unsigned, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, dissented, pointing to her reasoning in South Bay. Santa Clara County Counsel James R. Williams said that the order was "issued without any analysis at all of the county's gathering rules, which have always been neutral and applied equally to all gatherings across-the-board."

Tandon v. Newsom: On April 9, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down California’s prohibition against religious gatherings of people from more than three households. In its unsigned decision, the Supreme Court found that "California treats some comparable secular activities more favorably than at-home religious exercise." The Supreme Court also ruled that the state had not explained "why it could not safely permit at-home worshipers to gather in larger numbers while using precautions used in secular activities." Citing its earlier decision lifting New York’s attendance limits on places of worship, the Supreme Court ruled that California had "not shown that 'public health would be imperiled' by employing less restrictive measures." Although the decision was unsigned, Chief Justice John Roberts said he would have denied the application. Associate Justice Elena Kagan wrote a dissent, joined by Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. Kagan wrote, "California limits religious gatherings in homes to three households. If the State also limits all secular gatherings in homes to three households, it has complied with the First Amendment. And the State does exactly that[.]"

Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

The table below lists officials or candidates who have been diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus. The most recent announcements appear first.

Name	Office	Date	Status
Darrell Steinberg	Mayor of Sacramento	September 10, 2021	Steinberg announced he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus.
Salud Carbajal	U.S. House California District 24	October 6, 2020	Carbajal announced he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Eric Garcetti	Mayor of Los Angeles	November 3, 2021 December 17, 2020	Garcetti announced on November 3, 2021, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was fully vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus. Garcetti announced he and his wife were self-quarantining at home after their daughter tested positive for COVID-19.
Eric Garcetti	Mayor of Los Angeles	November 3, 2021 December 17, 2020	Garcetti announced on November 3, 2021, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was fully vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus. Garcetti announced he and his wife were self-quarantining at home after their daughter tested positive for COVID-19.
Jerry Dyer	Mayor-elect of Fresno	November 10, 2020	Dyer announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Julia Brownley	U.S. House California District 26	March 9, 2020	Brownley announced she would self-quarantine following a meeting with someone later diagnosed with coronavirus.
Andrea Cardenas	Candidate, Chula Vista City Council District 4	March 26, 2020	On March 26, 2020, Andrea Cardenas tested positive for COVID-19.
Janice Hahn	Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors District 4	March 24, 2020	Hahn self-quarantined for coronavirus after attending a party with people who tested positive for the illness.
Kelvin Barrios	Candidate, San Diego City Council District 9	March 21, 2020	Kelvin Barrios announced he tested positive for coronavirus.
Rick Herrick	Candidate, California State Assembly District 33	March 20, 2020	Herrick tested positive for coronavirus.
Steve Padilla	Chula Vista City Council District 3	March 14, 2020	Steve Padilla announced he tested positive for coronavirus.
Tom Lackey	California State Assembly District 36	July 8, 2020	Lackey's chief of staff announced that Lackey had tested positive for COVID-19.
Autumn Burke	California State Assembly District 62	July 6, 2020	Burke said in a tweet that she had tested positive for coronavirus. She said she was not experiencing any symptoms.
Michelle Steel	U.S. House California District 48	January 7, 2021	Steel announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Josh Becker	California State Senate District 13	January 5, 2022	Becker announced on January 5, 2022, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus.
Scott Wilk	California State Senate District 21	January 3, 2022	Wilk announced on January 3, 2022, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus.
Raul Ruiz	U.S. House California District 36	January 19, 2021	Ruiz announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Lou Correa	U.S. House California District 46	January 16, 2021	Correa announced that he tested positive for coronavirus.
David Valadao	Representative-elect, U.S. House California District 21	January 1, 2021	Valadao announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Esmeralda Soria	Fresno City Council District 1	December 7, 2020	Soria announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Doris Matsui	U.S. House California District 6	December 29, 2021	Matsui announced on December 29, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.
Maddy Salucka/Barbarasandbox	U.S. House California District 13	December 21, 2021	Lee announced on December 21, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.
Barbara Lee (California)	U.S. House California District 13	December 21, 2021	Lee announced on December 21, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.
Ken Calvert	U.S. House California District 42	December 15, 2020	Calvert announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus in late November.
Brian Jones (California)	California State Senate District 38	August 16, 2020	Jones announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Paths to recovery by state

To read about other states’ responses and recoveries, click one of the links below:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Other state government responses

To view previous coverage areas, including changes to 2020 election dates and policies, initial stay-at-home orders, coronavirus-related legislation, and much more, click a state in the map below.

Choose your state...AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington, D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

https://ballotpedia.org/Government_responses_to_and_political_effects_of_the_coronavirus_pandemic,_2020_(STATE)

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Department of Education
• World Health Organization
• Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
• Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)

See also

• Documenting America's Path to Recovery
• School responses in California to the coronavirus pandemic
• School responses to the coronavirus pandemic by state
• COVID-19 vaccine distribution by state
• Travel restrictions by state
• Federal government responses to the coronavirus pandemic