California plans to fully reopen its economy on June 15 – the clearest end date for restrictions imposed by businesses and improving daily life in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The date was not set in stone. And officials stress that getting to the point where California can reopen wide for the first time in more than a year depends on two factors: a sufficient amount of vaccines to keep everyone eligible and vaccinated stably, and a low number of people hospitalized with the disease. .
June 15 will also not give a complete return to pre-pandemic life. In particular, California’s masking mandate will remain in force for the foreseeable future.
But officials have expressed confidence that the state, through continued improvement in its coronavirus standards and the steady roll-out of vaccines, is now in a position to begin actively planning for what comes after COVID-19.
“With more than 20 million vaccines being administered across the state, it’s time to turn the page on our level system and begin to fully reopen California’s economy,” Gavin Newsom said in a statement Tuesday. ‘We can now start planning our lives after the pandemic. We will have to be vigilant and continue the practices we have brought here – to wear and inoculate masks – but the light at the end of this tunnel has never been brighter. ‘
If it goes as planned, June 15 will be the official end of the current reopening of the road map in California, which sorts provinces into one of four color-coded levels, based on three criteria: coronavirus case, adjusted based on the number of tests performed performed; the rate of positive test results; and a measure of health equity aimed at ensuring that the positive test rate in poorer communities is not significantly higher than the country’s overall score.
‘The whole state will move into this phase as a whole. It will not be country-for-county, ”said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of health and human services in California, said in a call with reporters.
In a statement, officials said that the sectors included in the state’s reopening blueprint would be allowed to ‘return to normal operations in accordance with the requirements of the Cal / OSHA and with general public health policies, such as required masking, testing and vaccinations encouraged. Large-scale indoor events, such as gatherings, will be allowed to meet testing or vaccination requirements. ”
Ghaly emphasizes that “if we see the increase in our hospitalizations, we will take the necessary precautions. But at the moment we are hopeful of what we see as we build on the 20 million vaccines that have already been administered.”
A successful reopening across the country in June holds a major political headline for the governor, who has a likely by-election in the fall.
Newsom’s chances of surviving a recall could be greater if Californians resumed some form of pre-COVID-19 life when they cast their ballots. Mass vaccinations and the return of personal training are critical to the sense of normalcy.
Newsom was the first governor in the country to issue a home order in the early days of the pandemic last year, an action widely carried out as the right call to protect California’s fragile health care system.
The governor did not receive the same praise for his handling of reopening.
Health experts said Newsom lifted the restrictions too quickly and did not reinstate them quickly enough as the number of cases grew, making COVID-19 increase in summer and winter. Health and Human Services Secretary Ghaly, one of the state’s top health officials, said he would slow down the pace of change last summer if he could do it all over again.
The lifting of restrictions and the start of a comprehensive reopening create news risks for Newsom. If the virus rises again or unexpected problems arise, the whiplash of the governor’s ever-changing rules may be fresher in the minds of voters, who may blame him at the ballot box.
According to political experts, the more Californians think about the pandemic in the past, the greater the chance that Newsom will sit.
The announcement of the proposed reopening date comes on the same day that California reached its goal of administering 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to its most vulnerable communities – a milestone not only in the ongoing battle to deliver the precious shots straight , but also in the pressure to further open the economy of the state, even before 15 June.
If the goal is achieved, it will mean that the state will draw up the reopening of the road map to apply new criteria that will allow the provinces to relax more quickly on the restrictions on businesses and public spaces.
The changes will in effect apply an orange layer to the Golden State.
The levels set forth in California’s current reopening strategy are purple, in which coronavirus transmission is considered widespread and domestic operations in a wide variety of business sectors are severely restricted or suspended; to red, with fewer restrictions; to orange, with even less; and lastly yellow, in which most businesses can open indoors with modifications.
Before Tuesday, provinces had to record less than 4.0 new cases per day per 100,000 people to move to the orange level. With the 4 million target now reached, the requirement has been weakened to less than 6.0.
Moving to the orange level has important economic implications.
Provinces can allow bars to reopen outdoors with certain modifications, and bars are also no longer needed to serve food.
Amusement parks can reopen with up to 25% capacity, and fans can attend at 33% for outdoor sports and live performances.
Capacity restrictions can also be lifted in stores, although social distance and other safety adjustments still apply; houses of worship, museums, zoos and aquariums can increase their indoor capacity from 50% to 50%; restaurants and movie theaters can increase indoor capacity to 50% or 200 people from 25% or 100 people (whichever is less); and indoor gyms and yoga studios can increase capacity from 25% to 25%.
Bowls courts can be reopened with 25% capacity. Card rooms and satellite betting sites can also reopen indoors with a capacity of 25%.
Offices in non-essential industries may reopen, though the state says workers should still be encouraged to work remotely.
The state goal of administering first 2 million, then 4 million doses in targeted communities – namely those in the lowest quartile of a socio-economic measurement tool called the California Healthy Places Index – was just one aspect of a wider effort aimed at was to ensure fair. access to COVID-19 vaccines.
California last year earmarked 40% of the COVID-19 vaccine supply for residents in the backward areas. According to a grant from government officials, this will not only help address the inequalities in vaccination, but make the shots available to those most at risk from the pandemic.
To date, suppliers across California have distributed 20.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, and according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34.2% of residents have received at least one shot.
About 18.1% of California residents have been fully vaccinated at this point, meaning they have received the single-shot vaccine Johnson & Johnson, or that both doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna are required.
Nationwide, 32.4% of Americans received at least one dose and 18.8% were fully vaccinated, CDC data show.
During the early stages of the California vaccination, California restricted access to the shots to those who considered the greatest risk of coronavirus infection, due to their age, occupation, or underlying health conditions.
This will change from April 15 when anyone 16 years and older can book appointments.
The state expanded admissions to vaccines last week to include everyone 50 and older.
President Biden initially said that by May 1, states should qualify all adults for COVID-19 vaccines, but he is expected to announce a more aggressive timeline on Tuesday – with a new deadline for April 19.