Governor Newsom Unveils Reopening Plan

Share with Friends

Under intense pressure to both reopen the state of California and also protect the lives of Californians, Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday unveiled a six point plan to get California back on its feet. At the outset he said the state must continue shelter-in-place for at least two more weeks before any timeline for reopening can be determined.

While cautioning that the transition will be gradual and bumpy, the Governor said the state’s actions will at all times be driven by science and data. He said the gradual modification of strict stay-at-home orders will be overseen by local Public Health Officers with local knowledge of conditions on the ground, and would be guided by six key indicators.

First is the ability to monitor and protect communities through testing and isolating infected individuals. The second, the ability to protect and prevent infection in the most at-risk populations. Third, the governor said that hospital and healthcare systems must be strong enough to handle surges. Fourth, the development and roll out of treatments for COVID-19. Fifth, the ability of places of business, schools and child care facilities to institute physical distancing. And sixth, knowledge of when, if necessary, to reinstitute stay-at-home orders.

The state Public Health Officer joined the governor in explaining how any reopening would work, while also protecting the health of Californians. And importantly, Newsom stressed that returning to normal would not be possible in the short term. The governor stressed that life would be different for some time, with the requirement for physical distancing and other control measures, and the chance of a return to stay-at-home restrictions at any time the virus appeared to once again be surging.

Using an analogy, the governor stressed the return to work would be more like “a dimmer than a switch” and that full normal would not be possible until herd immunity and a vaccine make the coronavirus no longer a major public health threat.