Back to Work: Governor Gavin Newsom Issues Guidance for Reopening California
April 20, 2020
Authored by: Tom Lee and Jennifer Jackson
California Governor Gavin Newsom was the first U.S. governor to impose a statewide stay at home order. He has now reported that his aggressive action appears to have flattened the curve of COVID-19 cases in the state, and many are now looking to Newsom for guidance on easing restrictions and getting people back to work.
Last week Newsom laid out a framework for lifting California’s stay at home order. He said the state must first be able to:
- Closely monitor and track potential cases of COVID-19,
- Prevent infection of high-risk people,
- Increase surge capacity at hospitals,
- Provide enough personal protective equipment to protect first responders,
- Develop therapeutics to help treat patients,
- Ensure physical distance at schools, businesses and child care facilities, and
- Develop guidelines for when to ask Californians to stay home again if the governor modifies the stay at home order and the virus surges.
Newsom has