Did you know that with over 196,000 COVID 19 diagnoses, California now leads the nation with the highest number of Coronavirus cases. By simply stepping outside the average Angeleno will encounter multiple infectious people, risking a virus with the capacity to kill even the healthiest among us. Young healthy people have required double lung transplants and have had strokes from COVID 19, while the elderly and immune compromised have died. 

Despite a 69% spike in cases in just two days, (and even higher numbers projected in the coming days and weeks), the state continues to move into Phase 3 of re-openings. What is the point of reopening the state, if people will be too deadly sick to even go out? Have California leaders decided that they care more about their wealthy donors, than doing the right thing? Are they refusing to take care of the everyday people they vowed to serve and who also voted them into office? The people who can't afford to hide in mansions and gated communities as the virus rips through, middle-class and poor families one by one. California leaders, poor people do not deserve to die and if they do, you will be held accountable for their deaths.  

Although the hospital system is currently in no danger of being overwhelmed, the number of people beginning their battle with COVID, and dying is climbing. For true leaders, that should be enough to take decisive action. Do the right thing: Shut down California. Or at the very least pause the reopening.