I live in New York, and back in the spring, I can still remember seeing these headlines

comparing my home state with California. Like there was this one, April 8th, the Mercury News,

how California contained the coronavirus, and New York has not.

Or May 16th, ProPublica.

Two coasts, one virus.

How New York suffered nearly ten times as many deaths as California.

To be honest, I saw these news reports, and I was jealous,

because California, the first state to issue a stay-at-home order,

seemed to have figured something out, all while I sat in my apartment, listening to the continuous whine of sirens. But at some point, after I'd stopped paying attention,

Angela Hart says things changed. I think the turning point, if I had to pinpoint the first turning point, it would be our summer reopening.

Angela covers health policy for California Health Line.

Over the summer, she noticed politics had started sneaking into decisions that had been based on science.

If you ask state lawmakers, if you ask public health experts,

if you ask the county public health officials who are leading the response in California on the ground,

I think you'll hear a wholehearted agreement on that.

California opened too fast, and since then, I think we've hear a wholehearted agreement on that. California opened too fast.

And since then, I think we've seen a series of really big missteps,

really on the part of this governor.

Over the course of the last year, Governor Gavin Newsom made himself into the face of California's pandemic response.

Good afternoon, everybody. I wanted to update you on where we are in terms of California's

COVID-19 response. Today, we're announcing and introducing a regional stay-at-home order in

the state of California. I know some people think that's too much too fast too soon.

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