The COVID-19 death toll had just hit 100 in the United States when numerous countries in the San Francisco Bay area imposed a "shelter-in-place" order in early March.

These sweeping restrictions led many Bay Area residents to google what it meant. The stay-at-home measures saw many businesses shut down operations and people hunkered down inside their homes. Local authorities only permitted citizens with essential and necessary errands to step outside.

Today, more than 310 million Americans recognize and observe the measure that, in the beginning, seemed like a drastic response to the virus. But now, only eight states are holding out against the shelter-in-place order--including North and South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas, among others.

'Unprecedented Step'

At the time of implementation, Santa Clara County's public health officer Dr. Sara Cody called the March 16 order "unprecedented." Cody shut down festivals, family gatherings, school, work, and religious services.

Authorities transformed the Santa Clara Convention Center into a makeshift hospital ward in preparation for a surge. She called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to set up a command center 48 hours after her county's first case.

A few days after health officials reported the second COVID-19 case in the county, Cody recommended new guidelines including forbidding large, in-person gatherings and telecommuting.

She and her colleagues decided it was time to order seven million Bay Area residents to stay home after coronavirus cases rose to 273 on March 16, 2020. They hoped the measure would slow the virus' spread enough so medical care facilities could prepare all necessary gear for the onslaught.

California Governor Gavin Newsom followed her decisive early action. The sweeping measures gave California the confidence in its fight against the global pandemic.

Dr. Josh Salomon, a professor at Stanford University, said the state's immediate reaction to the virus would significantly contribute to flattening the curve. He also believes the move has been vital to lowering the number of cases reported in the state.

Health experts predict California will reach its peak for COVID-19 cases and deaths on Wednesday. The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated 66 deaths in the state.

Back to Business

California recently announced a pact made with the governors of Washington and Oregon to help boost each other's economy and create concrete plans to re-open businesses in the states.

In a statement, Washington Governor Jay Inslee said the partnership would focus on state-specific plans and a rigid framework that would allow them to work together while also continuing to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The governors will also put utmost importance on protecting vulnerable populations, ensuring medical care facilities have adequate equipment, mitigating COVID-19 health impacts, and protecting the general public.

As of Monday morning, the Golden State has 22,348 coronavirus cases and 687 COVID-19 related deaths. Despite showing promising signs of flattening the curve, the governors continue to remind the public not to let up on social distancing measures.

"The curve is being bent because of you," Newsom said.


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