The rollbacks follow announcements this past week from governors around the country, calling for more COVID-19 restrictions amid widespread rising cases. Last week, Newsom — along with the governors of Oregon and Washington — issued travel advisories in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The advisories urge against “non-essential, out-of-state travel” and ask those who do so to self-quarantine for two weeks.
“This is not a mandate, this is not a travel ban, this is not a restriction,” Ghaly said. “This is really to discourage non-essential, out-of-state travel.”
Last week, Newsom came under criticism for attending an outside birthday dinner at the French Laundry restaurant in Napa County with a dozen friends in early November. During Monday’s news conference, he apologized for his lapse in judgement.
“The spirit of what I’m preaching all the time was contradicted and I gotta own that. And so I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice,” Newsom said.
As for the recent announcements from Pfizer and Moderna on the success rates for their vaccines, Newsom said he was optimistic: “We’re moving from a marathon to a sprint.”
But he also stressed that vaccines will need to be distributed safely and equitably.
Today’s new tier assignments will remain in effect until the state public health officer determines it is appropriate to make modifications, the governor’s office stated.
Newsom said he expects more restrictions to be issued Friday.