Newsom to Coordinate with Washington, Oregon Governors on Reopening Plan

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Saying that “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together,” Governor Gavin Newsom announed on Monday a plan to work together with Washington and Oregon on a joint West Coast approach to reopening the states’ economies.

The governors of all three states announced what they called a Western States Pact, in essence an agreement to work on a West Coast strategy for how to reopen successfully, while controling the coronavirus into the future. Under the plan, each state would have its own specific plan, but would coordinate with the others on a framework for reopening, and measures to control the virus’ return.

Meantime, 6 states in the Eastern U.S. including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania announced that they were entering into a similar regional pact to coordinate reopening their economies.

Newsom said at his Monday briefing that he would release details Tuesday of an plan using “California-based thinking” that would outline the steps toward reopening the state. Saying the coronavirus knows no borders, the governor said the plan would be guided by facts, evidence and science. He also stressed that it is still far too early to consider relaxing social distancing protocols across the state.

On March 19th, California was the first state in the nation to issue a statewide stay-at-home order following similar orders issued days earlier in the Bay Area. On Monday Governor Newsom said he was proud of the Bay Area counties that issued that order, saying their actions undoubtedly saved lives and led the way for similar orders to be issued in the state of California and across the nation.