Orange County residents protest Gov. Newsom’s beach closure as coronavirus cases increase

University of California, Irvine epidemiologist Andrew Noymer said the beaches should have remained open. “I’d much rather see a crowded beach than a crowded indoor shopping mall,” Noymer said in an interview. “People go to the beach on sunny days. So we’re blessed with all this Southern California sunshine, let’s use it.” He said the sun’s ultraviolet rays can “attenuate” the chances of the virus spreading, meaning a reduced chance, compared to a shopping mall where the virus can spread more easily.