Coronavirus: California Gov. Newsom puts National Guard on alert amid pandemic

Gabrielle Canon | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: Americans flock to stores for guns, ammunition American shoppers are stocking up on more than just food during the coronavirus outbreak.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed the National Guard to be on alert and ready to step in, if needed, to help communities across state grapple with the fast-moving spread of the coronavirus.

Millions of Californians are sheltering in place from the Bay Area to Palm Springs, and businesses are shuttering and schools closing — possibly through the end of the semester.

The governor said Wednesday the community-based military unit could be called on to aid in humanitarian missions, including food distribution, "ensuring the resiliency of supply lines" and supporting public safety measures.

“As Californians make sacrifices over the coming weeks and stay home, we are immensely grateful for medical providers, first-responders and National Guard personnel who are assisting those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19,” Newsom said in a statement.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there are roughly 779 confirmed cases of the virus in California, and 14 people have died from the disease. The outbreak is centered in the Bay Area, which has about half of all the state's cases, and residents there remain under a "shelter-in-place" order through April 7.

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Already more than 18 states have called their National Guard units into action, mobilizing roughly 1,500 guardsmen currently serving across the country, to help oversee and operate new drive-up testing facilities, clean and disinfect public spaces, and support both emergency operations centers and health care workers.

Roughly 350,000 guardsmen are serving around the country, 18,450 of whom are based in California. Units can be deployed for domestic missions and have been called on before during national emergencies.

Typically, the National Guard reports to the governors of the states they are stationed in, but during a press briefing on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper told reporters the federal government is also considering activating the National Guard and Reserve units across the country, centralizing command under the president.

"In my conversations with governors and members of Congress about DOD's resources, I've made it clear that we will continue to support the administration's comprehensive efforts and the country every step of the way, while ensuring our nation's security remains the top priority of the Department of Defense," he said.

The move would redistribute both control and the funding burden to the federal government, which would also be able to deploy National Guard units outside their respective states.

"In some ways we want to be the last resort, right?" he added.

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Gabrielle Canon is a California Reporter for the USA Today Network. You can reach her at gcanon@gannett.com or on Twitter @GabrielleCanon.