On Nov. 16, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a new curfew along with more restrictions for businesses in California starting Dec. 5 through at least Dec. 21 to hopefully lower or temporarily stop the spread of Covid-19 in the state.

Clark Magnet High school teacher Armond Khodagulyan agrees that even with all the new regulations arising, it will cause a problem trying local businesses. “The main conflict arises from trying to keep companies/organizations open, and sustainable and the need to prevent the spread of the disease.” Khodagulyan said. “How that manifests and what form it will take on I am not sure.” 

From 10 days to one week, coronavirus cases have grown a staggering amount. From new daily  Covid-19 cases reported in 10 days, one million cases have been reported all in one week.

Due to the fast increase in cases, Newsom announced that California will now be issuing a curfew to all the state’s 58 countries that are in the purple tier including Bay Areas starting Dec. 5.

The new curfew requires people to not stay out no later than 10 p.m. and to not go out before 5 a.m. except frontline workers such as nurses, doctors and grocery store workers and the homeless.

Clark Magnet High School sophomore Lauren Chang does not believe that anything will change with this new curfew even with the new strict regulations. “I think things will not change a lot from the curfew since a lot of the people who don’t take cautions for COVID probably will continue to do so and not take the curfew seriously,” Chang said. “Cases hopefully will go down, but I do not see any big changes happening.”

Others believe a complete lockdown will actually benefit spreading the risks of the Coronavirus and lowering the cases.

Clark Magnet High School teacher Shari Scott-Sawyer believes that these curfews are just leading us into a full complete lockdown. “I think we are moving closer and closer to a full lockdown,” Scott-Sawyer said.  “I think if that is to happen we will see a reduction in the virus numbers.” 

According to junior Eve Klem, a full lockdown will be beneficial. “Honestly, making it a full lockdown would be better. I know nobody wants that, but I think we need to be a lot less lenient about this. People are going to break this curfew seeing how it’s ‘limited’ and isn’t as strict as the previous ones,” Klem said. “Also, since they are only allowing essential workers to work, I think sending another check to people who need it, and a hold off on paying rent, would be great and would help a lot of people.”

Clark Magnet High School teacher Joanna Zendejas believes that if this curfew does not help and if citizens do break the rule, then this curfew will affect her personally. “As a homebody that does not like to be bothered much…and as a mother for my small children that I need to put to bed earlier on a day to day basis it does not affect me,” Zendejas said. “In the larger picture, if California doesn’t get their act together it does affect me personally. I do go to the grocery store a few times a month and see my in-laws a few times a week because they help with my kids, so this can mean I can easily get exposed. This prevents me from seeing my dad, and it’s been weighing a little heavy on me since he’s high-risk.”