Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide warning Thursday, March 20, urging Californians to stay indoors indefinitely in an effort to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, officials said.

While Newsom’s stay-at-home order is not a mandated lockdown, Californians are encouraged to practice self-isolation and remain at home until further notice as coronavirus cases continue to rise with over 1000 estimated cases in California, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Los Angeles County was also given the “safer-at-home” order just a few hours earlier, requiring all non-essential businesses to close and prohibiting the gathering of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces.

El Camino College President and Superintendent Dena Maloney addressed the ECC community via email the same day regarding the steps the administration would be taking in response to the new restrictions, which includes limiting all social interaction.

Currently, ECC is closed to students, faculty and the general public in accordance with the stay-at-home orders with the exception being essential personnel, including the police department, until further notice.

In the meantime, officials are working on transitioning student support services, including Health Center services and counseling, to online or via phone.

ECC has also canceled all classes through Monday, March 24, as students and faculty continue to adjust to the shift of instructional classes to online and any other challenges, according to the email.

Face-to-face labs or physical activity classes that could not be converted to online have also been cancelled for the rest of spring semester, according to the email, although it is unclear how those students’ grades will be determined.

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