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Despite California still being under lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic, a major heatwave in Southern California sent thousands of people to beaches even though they are closed by state order.
Orange and Ventura counties reopened beaches with modified restrictions.
Even though the state of California has not issued a state-wide order for easing the lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, it didn’t stop thousands of Southern California residents from visiting beaches over the weekend amid the first major heatwave of the year.
Two Southern California counties reopened beaches with restrictions over the weekend, even as state and local officials urged visitors to avoid mass gatherings and practice social distancing.
Orange County reopened beaches and photos captured huge crowds lining Huntington Beach and Newport Beach on Saturday. Over 40,000 people were estimated to have visited Newport Beach on Friday.
Ventura County, roughly 70 miles north of Los Angeles, also reopened its beaches but kept parking lots closed. Ventura also stipulated that beachgoers had to “keep moving [while] walking, running, surfing, and swimming.” The County barred visitors from sunbathing or lounging on its beaches.
The counties of Los Angeles and San Diego kept their beaches closed. Beaches operated by the state of California also remained closed.
The easing of restrictions comes at a precarious time. Some counties opened beaches on Friday while only a day earlier, on Thursday, state governor Gavin Newsom announced that California had suffered its “deadliest day” of the pandemic with 115 deaths occurring over 24 hours.
The governor said it’s much too soon to end social distancing policies, adding that “in the state of California within the last 24 hours, 8.5% increase in the total number of deaths.”
As states and counties around the country begin to reopen and ease lockdown restrictions amid the coronavirus outbreak, municipalities and businesses are lobbying Congress to enact legislation that would provide immunity from coronavirus-based lawsuits. Already, people have sought out an injury lawyer and are filing lawsuits.
Without legal protections, unchecked litigation for any injury linked to the coronavirus could wipe out everything from small businesses, to nonprofits, corporations, universities, transit systems, shopping malls, and more. This could end any economic recovery before even begins.
Around the country, a wave of lawsuits are already being filed.
Some states are taking action. The Utah state legislature approved a bill last Thursday that would make business operators and property owners immune from lawsuits brought forward by people exposed to COVID-19. The bill seeks to shield businesses from “frivolous” negligence lawsuits from patrons or employees.
Those filing lawsuits still have the burden of proof. Most lawmakers agree it would be difficult for individuals to prove where and how they actually contracted COVID-19. Nonetheless, the process of going through litigation can be an expense that would be hard to bear for many businesses that have already gone into debt due to the shutdown.
