Los Angeles's Bars Are Closing Again

Things are, uh, not going well in California. Thanks to a worrisome spike in covid-19 cases, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered bar closures in seven counties, Los Angeles included.

Deadline reports that Los Angeles, Fresno, Kern, San Joaquin, Tulare, Kings, and Imperial counties will all have to close their bars, which reopened earlier this month. Covid-19 cases in California have been spiking over the last few weeks, with the state passing 200,461 cases on Friday. That was a 2.5 percent rise in 24 hours.

“Covid-19 is still circulating in California, and in some parts of the state, growing stronger,” Newsom said in a statement. “That’s why it is critical we take this step to limit the spread of the virus in the counties that are seeing the biggest increases.” The governor also recommended eight other counties—Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Stanislaus—close their bars, though he left the ultimate decision up to the local governments.

California is one of several states that’s seen a significant rise in cases over the last few weeks, though unlike Texas and Florida, its governor at least seems to believe covid-19 exists. Earlier this week, Texas did order its bars to close and reduced restaurant capacity to 50 percent in an effort to curb its own massive spike in cases. It does not look like Florida—whose positive cases increased five times over in two weeks—will close its bars anytime soon, even though the virus is circulating hard among young people who seem to be picking it up at, uh, bars.

As a reminder, the U.S. covid-19 curve is not the least bit bent, despite Trump and his flunkies repeatedly cheering themselves for beating the virus, and things are certain to get worse (and worse, and worse). Another good reminder? Just because your local government is opening bars, does not mean you should go to one. And, more importantly, wear your fucking mask.