LA, San Diego join California school closings amid coronavirus fears

LOS ANGELES — California’s largest school districts announced weeks-long closures, religious faithful were urged to watch services online and just about any event that could attract even a modest crowd was canceled or postponed as the state moved broadly Friday to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The effects were big and small — and in some cases even surreal.

Freeways in and around downtown Los Angeles, normally at a standstill on a workday, were mostly clog-free at midday. Popular restaurants were desperate for patrons, and typically crowded gyms had plenty of floor space. The unusual phrase “social distancing” — simply, keeping away from other people to prevent the spread of the illness — was suddenly part of everyday conversation.

In a major development affecting 750,000 students, California’s two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, announced they would temporarily close starting March 16.

By Monday, one-third of California’s 6 million public school students will kept out of the classroom, as schools look to limit the risks, according to state officials.

Maryjane De La Rosa, a 16-year-old sophomore at Los Angeles’ John Marshall High School, said she wished the district had closed schools sooner.

“I think the precautions should have been taken a long time ago,” she said Friday, noting that she has asthma and is worried about her health. She plans to stay inside this weekend, “knowing I’m safer at home.”

As of mid-afternoon Friday, California had 247 confirmed cases.

Nearly 2,500 passengers have headed to quarantine sites from a cruise ship that docked in Oakland on Monday, after several people contracted the coronavirus. Princess Cruises said 14 international passengers remained on the ship while waiting to be repatriated to their home countries.

State officials said after everyone is off, including crew members, the area where the ship docked will be disinfected before returning to normal operation.

South of San Francisco Bay, Santa Clara County reported coronavirus cases tripled this week. As of Thursday night, there were 79 cases, and more than half were infected through so-called community transmission — in other words, the source of the infection was not known. One person died and 37 were hospitalized.

Daily disruptions

But there were many smaller announcements that also signaled changes in the way Californians go about their daily lives.

The Los Angeles Zoo closed for the remainder of the month. With restaurants taking a financial hit, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is urging residents to order home delivery instead. A Santa Monica musical instrument store known for intimate, in-store concerts, McCabe’s Guitar Shop, announced it was postponing its shows through the end of March. Popular supermarket Trader Joe’s said on its website it was suspending all food and beverage samples in stores.

San Diego Superior Court is suspending civil trials for the next 30 days. Even political campaigns were forced to adapt. Republican Mike Garcia, who is running in a special election for a vacant U.S. House seat north of Los Angeles, scheduled a string of town halls voters will join by telephone.

The Los Angeles schools will close for two weeks, although Superintendent Austin Beutner indicated at a news conference it could extend beyond that. San Diego said it would keep schools closed until April 6.

“We will see what happens,” Beutner said. “The facts and the circumstances will tell us.”

Soon after the announcement from Los Angeles and San Diego, school districts in Long Beach (72,000 students) and Oakland (37,000) said they would also close — Long Beach until April 20 and Oakland until April 5.

San Diego parent Daniel Rodriguez said the closure will mean his 13-year-old daughter will be out for six weeks now since it will run into her spring break.

“I think it’s overreactive,” he said, adding that he was waiting for more details.

In Santa Clara County authorities ordered that as of Saturday and for at least three weeks there will be no gatherings of more than 100 people, excluding airports, office buildings, pharmacies and medical offices.

Jot Condie, who heads the California Restaurant Association, said some restaurants in tourist-dependent economies like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego had seen business plummet by 70 percent during the crisis.

“When the volume goes down by 70%, they are not barely turning a profit, they are hemorrhaging,” Condie said.

In Los Angeles, dozens of unionized hospitality workers applied for unemployment benefits Friday at the Hospitality Training Academy after their hours were cut.

Teresa Trejo, 46, of Inglewood, saw hours at all three of her jobs — a bartender at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Dodgers Stadium and The Forum — slashed to zero.

“You just feel so confused because you still have your life” and bills to pay, she said before filling out her application.

Other cancellations

A wave of closures and postponements spanning everything from government offices to cultural events and sports followed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call this week for cancellation of all non-essential gatherings of 250 people or more.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez announced that Roman Catholics in the three-county region were dispensed from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass for the remaining weekends in March. The archdiocese said attendance at Mass would be limited to 250 people. A livestream of the LA cathedral service was also being made available.

Members of Saddleback Church, a megachurch with locations across Southern California, should gather in small groups to watch weekend services online, Pastor Rick Warren said in an email.

The goal of all authorities is to slow the virus’ spread to avoid overwhelming hospitals with those sickened by an illness that no one in the world has immunity to.

Most patients have mild or moderate symptoms such as a fever or cold, but severe symptoms including pneumonia can occur, especially in the elderly and people with existing health problems.