Governor Newsom Announces 4 Part Plan to Reopen California

photo by Gage Skidmore

Update 4/29: Heather Knight at the Chronicle has some excellent breaking news about this:

BREAKING: Some restrictions on the Bay Area's shelter-in-place rules will be lifted on Monday. Approved activities include all construction, plant nurseries, flea markets, car washes, sunbathing in parks, fishing, skateboard parks and golf.

— Heather Knight (@hknightsf) April 29, 2020

Thankfully, because of our state and local governments’ quick work shutting things down, California hasn’t been as hard   hit as other states by the COVID-19 Pandemic. That said, everyone is wondering when the restrictions will be eased, and when the shelter-in-place order will be lifted.

Yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom announced his 4 stage plan to open California back up, and what that will look like. We are currently in Stage 1, and if things continue to go well, and the curve continues to flatten, Stage 2 will only be a few weeks away.

Here are the four stages announced by the Governor:

Stage 1: Safety and Preparedness

This is where we are now

• Stay home and flattening the curve
• Continue to build out testing, contact tracing, PPE, and hospital surge capacity
• Prepare sector-by-sector safety guidelines for expanded workforce
• Continue to make essential workplaces as safe as possible
  • Physical and work flow adaptation
  • Essential workforce safety net
  • Make PPE more widely available
  • Individual behavior changes

Stage 2: Lower-Risk Workplaces

Gradually re-opening some lower-risk workplaces with ADAPTATIONS including:

• Retail (e.g. curbside pickup)
• Manufacturing
• Offices (when telework not possible)
• Opening more public spaces

Expanded Workforce Safety Net:

• Wage replacement so workers can stay home when sick

Schools and Childcare Facilities with Adaptations:

• Summer programs and next school year potentially starting sooner (July/August)
• Childcare facilities to provide more care
• Address learning gaps
• Ensure students and staff are protected
• Allow broader workforce to return to work

Stage 3: Higher-Risk Workplaces

Gradually re-opening some higher-risk environments with adaptations and limits on size of gatherings, including:

• Personal care (e.g. hair salons, nail salons, gyms)
• Movie theaters
• Sports without live audiences
• In-person religious services

Stage 4: End Of Stay-At-Home Order

Re-opening the highest risk parts of our economy — once therapeutics have been developed, including mass gatherings such as:

• Concerts
• Convention centers
• Live audience sports

Shoutout DoTheBay for breaking this down for us.