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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 8 december 2020
California unveils smartphone virus tool as cases surge

By AMY TAXIN and ADAM occupied in those regions.
BEAM Five San Francisco Bay Area
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) counties voluntarily joined
— California Gov. Gavin the rules, saying they didn’t
Newsom on Monday an- want to wait until their ICU
nounced a voluntary smart- capacity dropped too low
phone tool to alert people to take action. Those re-
of possible coronavirus strictions will last until Jan.
exposure as cases surge 4, a week longer than the
higher, new restrictions are state’s timeline.
imposed and many people Ten months into the pan-
said they won’t heed the demic, most of the state is
pleas to stay home. now back to where it start-
The tool — which has been ed with the stay-at-home
used on a pilot basis on rules.
some state university cam- But unlike in March, when
puses — doesn’t track peo- the pandemic was in its in-
ple’s identities or locations fancy and California was
but uses Bluetooth wireless the first state to impose
signals to detect when two such rules, fewer people
phones are within 6 feet are likely to obey them.
(1.8 meters) of each other Some business owners said
for at least 15 minutes, offi- Customers wait for their take out order at Fatburger in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles they would keep their doors
on Sunday Dec. 6, 2020.
cials said. Associated Press open and several law en-
California’s 40 million resi- forcement agencies have
dents can opt in to the sys- be,” Newsom told report- The technology comes as shows. said they have no plans
tem starting on Thursday. ers. “We are hoping there coronavirus cases are ex- More than 10,000 people to enforce the rules and
When someone who has will be enough to make this ploding in California and were hospitalized in Califor- are counting on people to
activated the technology meaningful.” more than 80 percent of nia Monday with COVID-19, voluntarily wear masks and
tests positive for the virus, Sixteen other states, plus the state’s residents are un- including more than 2,300 practice physical distanc-
that person will receive Guam and Washington, der orders not to leave their in intensive care, Newsom ing to protect themselves
a verification code from D.C., have already made homes for at least the next said. and their families.q
state health officials that available the system co- three weeks except for es- Newsom’s administration Californians will be able
can be used to send an created by Apple and sential purposes. issued the stay-at-home to activate the new “ex-
anonymous alert to other Google, though most Over the past two weeks, rules shuttering restaurant posure notification” tool in
users who may have been residents of those places California has reported a dining, salons and play- their iPhone settings or on
exposed over the past 14 aren’t using it. The tool has quarter of a million positive grounds in Southern Cali- Android phones by down-
days. been used on a pilot basis virus cases. The 7-day aver- fornia and a large swath loading the CA Notify app
“The more people that on University of California age for new virus cases on of the state’s Central Val- from the Google Play store.
participate in it, the more campuses, where 250,000 Monday neared 22,000, a ley agricultural region after Many residents will get a
that opt in, the more ef- people opted in for notifi- 50 percent increase over more than 85% of beds in notification Thursday invit-
fective this program can cation of virus exposure. the prior week, state data intensive care units were ing them to participate.q

Taylor’s family praises Virginia ban on no-knock warrants

By DENISE LAVOIE signed a statewide ban door in the middle of the nal justice reforms, includ- onna Taylor gets to sleep in
AP Legal Affairs Writer against the use of no- night. ing a ban on the use of peace without the police
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — knock search warrants, a “Breonna’s Law” is the first chokeholds, a requirement busting in her door.”
Two of Breonna Taylor’s law named after Taylor, a such law enacted by a that officers intervene to Taylor’s aunt, Bianca Aus-
aunts watched Monday Kentucky woman who was state since Taylor was killed stop the use of excessive tin, said no-knock warrants
as Virginia Gov. Ralph fatally shot when Louisville in March, Northam said. force by another officer, are “detrimental and de-
Northam ceremoniously police broke down her Two other states — Oregon and changes that make it structive to Black lives.”
and Florida — already had easier to decertify officers “Thank you for listening to
similar bans, while several who commit misconduct. our voices,” Austin said.
municipalities, including “We’re here today be- “We hope this encour-
Louisville, have banned cause when the country ages other states to get
the practice since Taylor saw what happened in on board” in banning no-
was killed. March, people said that’s knock warrants, she said.
Taylor’s death, along with wrong, you need to do The law, which goes into ef-
the killing of George Floyd something,” Gov. Northam fect in March, prohibits po-
while in police custody in said of Taylor’s killing. lice from going into a home
Minneapolis and the kill- The Taylor family’s attor- without first announcing
ings of other Black people ney, Ben Crump, thanked themselves. It also requires
sparked massive protests Northam and the lead that search warrants be
around the county against sponsors of the legisla- served only during day-
police brutality and sys- tion — Sen. Mamie Locke light hours unless police
temic racism. During a and Del. Lashrecse Aird for can show a magistrate or
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother, in white beside
Attorney Ben Crump, left, speak in Louisville, Ky., after special legislative session, “helping to make a more a judge good cause as to
settlement was announced. Virginia lawmakers passed just society, a more just why the warrant needs to
Associated Press a host of police and crimi- America, one where Bre- be served at night. q