Coronavirus Update: Gov. Newsom Announces Record Unemployment Numbers, Promises Progress Toward Reopening
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said a record of almost four million residents in the state have filed for unemployment since the beginning of the coronavirus emergency in March while promising California he would soon be making important moves toward reducing shelter order restrictions.
Newsom started off his daily update of the state's response to the coronavirus crisis by acknowledging the May Day holiday and offered thanks to frontline and essential workers who have helped keep California going.
He went on to outline the record number of people currently seeking help after losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 3.9 million Californians have filed for unemployment since March 12, with the state distributing $7.5 billion in benefits to those in need.
Newsom also said an additional 340,000 people have signed up for the state's Pandemic Unemployment Insurance, which is separate from standard unemployment insurance and covers gig workers. He said that the state's Employment Development Department was doing it's best to process the claims as quickly as possible.
The governor also acknowledged the delays many Californians are experiencing in maneuvering through the EDD process and receiving benefits.
"We recognize we have a lot more work to do, but I do mark with data and metrics the progress. We can say this, that at this time last week we are now 50 percent greater in terms of our engagement than we were a week ago, even with the volume increasing," explained Newsom. "And so it's just a sign, a good sign ... we're not falling back as quickly, we're still holding our own and pushing back against the tide of understandable and legitimate frustration that we have a responsibility, clearly, to address."
The governor noted that a key to stopping job loss would be the lifting of restrictions and promised significant changes to the state's stay at home order were in the works.
Newsom acknowledged some of the ongoing protests over the continuing shelter-in-place order and said that he understands the frustration that those people are feeling over being unable to open their businesses, but promised that more easing of restrictions was in sight, with some changes likely to be announced as soon as next week.
"We are getting very, very close to making some announcements that I think will be very meaningful to people in the retail sector, in the hospitality sector -- yes, that includes in that second phase, restaurants -- again, with serious modifications," said Newsom. "We've got teams of people working - not just internally, but externally -- to look at each type of business, within each type of industry, and looking at sectoral and individual augmentations and guidelines that will be necessary and a requirement of any meaningful reopening."
The governor also noted the importance of the child-care initiatives introduced on Thursday, reminding listeners that there were 20,000 vouchers for child care being set aside in efforts to address the needs of critical workers and that 28,000 spaces for children at state-vetted facilities were available and listed on new web site that launched Thursday.
Newsom touted the state's success in acquiring and distributing PPE, saying that 8.3 million surgical masks were sent out to hospitals and sites that needed them just in the past week. He also emphasized the importance of PPE for not just essential workers, but for the reopening businesses.
On Monday, the governor said he would talk about tracing, tracking, isolation and issues of quarantining individuals, but pointed out that personal protective equipment was just as important for the state to make real progress.
"PPE is fundamental to reopening our economy sooner, so that we can make sure when we have new guidelines -- those that are coming up organically at the local level or those that we are mandating from the state level -- those guidelines always include protective gear that are essential for businesses to reopen...We have to really be deliberative on how we reopen this economy," said Newsom.
The governor announced the latest figures in the coronavirus emergency, saying that the state now has 50,442 cases of COVID-19, a 3.1 percent increase, with a total of 2,073 deaths for an increase of 4.6 percent.
Newsom said 91 people had died from the coronavirus within the past 24 hours.
The state is testing an average of more than 25,000 people daily, according to Newsom, meeting the state's May 1 testing goal but still well shy of the state's overall goal of 60,000-to-80,000 daily tests.
Despite the uptick in positive cases and deaths in the state, Newsom maintained that California was moving in the right direction towards reduced restrictions.
"I don't want to over-promise, but I just want to assure you that if we can hold the line and continue to do good work and just avoid the temptation to get back and congregate with people in ways where we can see an increase in the spread we'll get there much sooner than many people perhaps think," said Newsom.
