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California considers resuming retail and manufacturing businesses within weeks

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


  • Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday that California will be reopening its curbside retail, manufacturing and other “lower-risk workplaces” within weeks as the COVID-19 testing and tracing improve.
  • Once the state has achieved safety benchmarks like statewide contact tracing and stabilized COVID-19 hospitalization cases, it shall be ready to reopen.
  • California ranks about midway among US states in terms of per capita coronavirus testing, with 14,602 tests per million residents based on the research of the COVID Tracking Project.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday that curbside retail, manufacturing and other “lower-risk workplaces” would be reopened within weeks in light of the improvement of the state’s virus testing and monitoring.

State health officer Sonia Angell told reporters that functional offices, childcare facilities and some parks would be in the first reopening phase.

Newsom said that state schools can start their academic year in July to compensate the “learning loss” due to closures and to allow the larger labor force to return for duty.

“We believe we are weeks, not months away from making meaningful modifications,” the governor said.

Newsom has yet to issue a date for the order. He mentioned that he will align with Oregon and Washington about reopening after safety standards are achieved.

Angell pointed out that once safety benchmarks, such as statewide contact tracing and stabilization in COVID-19 hospitalizations are reached, the state shall be ready to reopen. She added that “wage replacement” should be in place in businesses to provide workers with paid sick leave.

According to the COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer agency that tracks coronavirus data, California ranks about midway among US states in terms of per capita coronavirus testing, with 14,602 tests per million residents.

Bulk of California’s businesses — which include Tesla Inc., a prominent electric vehicle make — had been shut down due to COVID-19. Some major tech companies however were able to switch to work-from-home setting like Facebook Inc.

Higher-risk businesses such as nail salons, and activities like concerts and large gatherings would take months to reopen, Newsom added. Newsom was among the first governors to declare a statewide ‘stay-at-home’ order. The March 19 order contributed to the mitigation of the virus; still, more work was required to cater the needs for testing and protective equipment.

Source: AOL.com

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