On Tuesday California governor Gavin Newsom said the state could be weeks away from modifying its stay-at-home orders.
The governor detailed the four stages that the state will follow as it progressively relaxes stay-at-home orders, which have been in place since March 19 in an effort to flatten the curve and slow the spread of Covid-19.
Currently, California is progressing toward moving out of phase one, toward a second phase that would allow some nonessential businesses to open. Under stage 2, nonessential retail, manufacturing, logistics, and office-based businesses could reopen. The state may also loosen its restrictions on parks and public spaces.
California will examine relaxing the stay-at-home orders on a “sector-by-sector” basis, Newsom said.
In an unexpected disclosure, Newsom said the state will explore potentially bringing students back to school early in phase two, for instruction that could begin in late July or early August.
The way forward is based on COVID-19 hospitalizations remaining consistent or declining and the state’s ability to maintain hospital surge capacity, supplies of personal protective equipment and testing and contact tracing capabilities.
Under phase 2, individual counties would be allowed to relax some coronavirus restrictions “at their own pace,” said the Director of the California Department of Public Health, Dr. Sonia Angell.
Six rural counties and 14 small cities sent a letter to the governor last week, asking him to allow them to move forward with their own “phased reopening”. Newsom has faced pressure in recent weeks from many rural communities to allow them to get back to business.
Personal services like hairdressers, gyms, nail salons, and spas wouldn’t be allowed to open until stage 3.
Concert venues, professional sports, conventions and events with large crowds will wait until the fourth stage, under Newsom’s plan. The state won’t allow events like these until a vaccine is developed or herd immunity occurs.
The governor urged residents not to fall into a sense of false security. Both Newsom and Angell expressed cautious optimism regarding hospitalization rates which have slowed in recent weeks.
“If we pull back too quickly, it could start a second wave that could be even more damaging than the first. The virus hasn’t gone away.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom
