VENTURA, California – Public health leaders in Ventura County have said they are on board to lift the local home stay – even with the record number of patients in the intensive care unit last week.
On Monday, restaurant owners in Ventura County prepared dining areas to reopen, but the weather did not work together.
“It was difficult,” said Jan Holguin, who owns the Casa Bella steakhouse in Ventura. ‘It’s been destroyed like four times. We had to replace all the plastic walls that protected it from the weather and everything blew on top. It took us like a whole day to get it back to where it was. ‘
Ventura County is now returning to the state’s color-coded reopening plan, specifically the most restrictive purple level. At this level, restaurants, gyms and wineries can reopen outdoors.
“Believe me, we are very grateful and we are very excited about it opening up, but it was a bit confusing because one moment it was about the cases, and one moment it was about ICU beds,” he said. Holguin said. “What is it? You know it’s disturbing that we were closed for seven weeks and that there was no consistent theme.”
Just last week, Ventura County reported a record 91 patients in the ICU, but state projections show that capacity is growing in the Southern California region.
“We discussed it with our health officer,” said Rigo Vargas, who is the director of public health in Ventura County. “We have determined that our numbers are moving in the right direction. Our court case, although still high, is declining and that’s why we know that many other businesses are hurting and that we need good news locally, and that’s why we wanted to be in line with the state. ”
However, if the situation increases, the stay-at-home order will return.
“By the time we are expected to get herd immunity with the vaccinations, it is still months,” Vargas said. “A revival can happen at any time, and although we’re all tired of telling ourselves what to do when it comes to COVID, we really can ‘t disappoint.”
Despite the weather, restaurant owners are excited to be back to normal.
“We’re going to open tonight, and tomorrow it’s supposed to be fun, so we’re going to open tomorrow, and then we’ll play and see through the ears on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” Holguin said. “We’re going to find a way.”