Monterey County health professionals want stricter law enforcement for COVID-19 guidelines

SALINAS, Calif. (KION)

With a new Stay At Home order signed for Monterey County, the question many have is about enforcement and whether citations will be stepped up.

Monterey County law enforcement agencies say they continue to use an education first approach but will cite people gathering in large crowds who are not compliant with health and safety guidelines.

Medical professionals say they are concerned with the need for hospital beds in the county as well as staffing.

Doctor Martha Blum from Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula says there should be stricter enforcement from police on the current curfew order as well as health the safety guidelines.

“I think it’s past time, I think we would have benefitted from having more enforcement or at least more of a presence out there to know that there would be consequences for violating these very basic prevention measures," says Blum.

More tonight at 10 and 11 p.m.