California reopening will come in phases

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out a four-stage plan to reopen businesses, schools and entertainment events on Tuesday.

The governor said California is currently in phase one. As the state sees hospitalization rates for the coronavirus stabilize, officials plan to move into phase two in the next few weeks, allowing some retail stores to get back to business. Places such as nail salons and gyms won’t reopen until a later phase.

Local governments will be allowed to enforce stricter reopening rules, but not lesser ones.

PHASE 1:

Under the current stage, most people are ordered to stay at home except for essential outings. Newsom wants to boost the rate of testing, pass out more protective equipment, beef up health care services and continue monitoring coronavirus illnesses and deaths.

PHASE 2:

The next step, which Newsom said will come in the next few “weeks, not months,” includes reopening nonessential retail stores, manufacturing, child care and schools - possibly as early as late July or early August.

Residents during this time will be urged to cut nonessential travel and employees should continue working from home when possible. The state will enter this phase once a widespread tracing system is in place, allowing local government officials to identify and test people who came in contact with infected people.

PHASE 3:

Unlike states that are already allowing such services to restart, services like hair and nail salons are still months away from reopening, Newsom said. In the third phase, fitness clubs, spas, nail salons, hair salons and barbershops that require much more personal contact will be able to reopen.

PHASE 4:

Mass crowd events like conventions, concerts and sporting events won’t come until a later date, and it won’t be soon, under the state plan. Don’t expect them until there is a vaccine or widespread immunity.

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Source: California governor’s office.