With a rising number of COVID-19 cases, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced more statewide restrictions on Monday. This includes the closure of indoor dining, indoor malls, zoos, museums, gyms, hair salons, indoor church services and nonessential offices. This closure is following the previous reopening announced June 12.

Many schools are also expected to remain online for the fall semester because of the virus and lockdown restrictions. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest school district in the state, along with San Diego County school districts announced last week that they will not be opening the campus for the beginning of the next school year with the growing number of cases. 

In an announcement on the California Department of Education website, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said, “We believe schools can only reopen for in-person instruction when it can be assured that students, teachers and staff have the resources and measures in place to protect their health and safety.” 

The Orange County Board of Education voted 4-1 on July 13 to allow in-person classes to begin next month in which students do not have to wear a face mask or practice social distancing. 

Many students are still unsure as to whether or not they will remain online for the coming semesters, although Mt. SAC had announced on June 24 that, “in the Summer and Fall, any classes that can be held online will be online.” 

According to the California Coronavirus website, in the last two weeks, the state has seen 109,910 new cases with 1,482,673 people having been tested in the past two weeks. There have been 1,104 deaths reported in California in the last 14 days.