UPDATE 1-California governor unveils plan for regional lockdowns as ICUs near capacity

(Adds governor quote; details of restrictions)

By Sharon Bernstein and Steve Gorman

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec 3 (Reuters) - California's governor on Thursday announced plans to impose COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on a regional basis, with new restrictions on social and economic activities to be triggered in a given region when its hospital intensive care units get close to capacity.

The latest round of constraints, unveiled as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continued to soar to record heights, will take effect after 48 hours in any of the designated five geographic regions when their ICU levels fall to 15% of capacity or less, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

The governor said he expects all areas of the state, except for the San Francisco Bay Area, to reach their respective 15% thresholds by later this week. Each region is to remain under its stay-at-home order for at least three weeks.

The four other designated regions are Southern California, the state's largely agricultural San Joaquin Valley, the greater Sacramento area surrounding the state capital, and Northern California beyond the Bay Area.

"If we don't act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed. If we don't act now, we will continue to see the death rate climb," Newsom said in an online presentation streamed live from his home in suburban Sacramento.

The governor has been under quarantine with his family after his children were exposed to a California Highway Patrol officer who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Once they take effect, the new set of restrictions will represent the most stringent COVID-19 measures imposed in California since Newsom imposed its original, first-in-the-nation statewide lockdown in March, early in the pandemic in the United States.

Residents will be directed to remain at home and avoid travel except as necessary for permitted activities, such as grocery shopping, medical appointments, dog walks and individual outdoor exercise.

Restaurants will be closed except for takeout and pickup service, while bars, breweries and distilleries will be shuttered altogether, along with fitness centers, hair salons, barbershops, casinos and nail parlors.

Retail establishments may remain open while limited to 20% of capacity. Indoor worship services will be prohibited. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif., and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Jonathan Oatis)