California's Governor Gavin Newsom today made the announcement that the Golden State plans on reopening its economy by June 15, provided that hospitalization levels remain stable and there's a sufficient supply of COVID-19 vaccines for every Californian that wants them. The proclamation comes more than a year after Newsom declared a state of emergency and California's economy was sent into lockdown amid the escalating health crisis.
"With more than 20 million vaccines administered across the state, it is time to turn the page on our tier system and begin looking to fully reopen California's economy," Newsom said. "We can now begin planning for our lives post-pandemic. We will need to remain vigilant, and continue the practices that got us here-wearing masks and getting vaccinated-but the light at the end of this tunnel has never been brighter."
The state will continue to require that masks be work in public settings and encourage all residents to get fully vaccinated, but everyday activities will be allowed to resume and businesses spanning all sectors will be able to return to normal operations. They'll still need to reopen in compliance with Cal/OSHA requirements, and continue to practice pandemic-era common-sense health and safety measures, such as masking and social distancing.
"California has made incredible progress controlling the spread of COVID-19 by staying home, masking, and getting vaccines out quickly to Californians in every corner of the state, including in those communities hardest hit by this pandemic," said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. "In order to take the next step, we must continue to do our part to keep this momentum moving in the right direction, and that means continuing to wear a mask and ensuring everyone who is eligible gets the vaccine."
With the full reopening of the economy, California will end its 'Blueprint for a Safer Economy', which was implemented in August 2020) and embark upon a phase it's calling 'Beyond the Blueprint'. Rather than the state being divided by county, and assigned one of four color-coded tiers reflecting its epidemiological status (as is currently the case), California's communities will transition into this new phase collectively, as a whole.
A statement released by the governor's office specified that testing measures and vaccination requirements will remain in place for relevant settings, including at large-scale gatherings and events; which are also getting the green light to reopen under 'Beyond the Blueprint' with the appropriate health and safety verifications in place.
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