CA Reopening: Gov. Outlines Stage 2 For Retail, Restaurants, More

CALIFORNIA — Friday will see a major shift for some businesses in the state, while others hopeful of reopening continue to face uncertainty as to whether and when they'll be able to open their doors to the public again.

"We're moving forward," Gov. Gavin Newsom said during his Thursday news conference, but added that the state is doing so with an eye on the science, data and public health.

After several days of anticipation, Golden State residents got a few answers as to how the rollout of Stage 2 in the governor's 4-stage reopening plan will look. Starting Friday, certain retailers, manufacturers and warehouses that were shuttered can reopen with modifications like hands-free devices, outdoor break areas and increased sanitation materials. That is, unless local counties have stricter orders of their own in place.

>> Bay Area Will Not Follow CA Reopening Schedule

The modification of the stay-at-home order affects some "low risk" businesses such as clothing stores, florists, bookstores and sporting good stores — along with the manufacturing and warehouses that support those industries. All of these must use curbside pickup for the time being.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, noted that California is now in a "zone of stability" when it comes to coronavirus cases, so he feels confident modifying the order.

"It does not mean a return to normal," Ghaly said. "The virus is still alive in California."

Places that remain closed are offices, shopping malls and outdoor museums, but the governor noted that those will be allowed to open later in Stage 2.

As for in-restaurant dining, that will also be allowed in Stage 2, but will likely happen at different times in different communities across the state. The "gradual move" will be decided at the county level, by local health officials who must ensure that certain milestones are achieved before moving forward.

Ghaly and Newsom outlined the regional variance criteria for counties to move deeper into Stage 2. In order for a particular county to open more businesses in Stage 2, they need to have:

• No more than one COVID-19 case per 10,000 people in the last 14 days.
• No COVID-19 deaths in the past 14 days.
• Minimum daily testing capacity of 1.5 per 1,000 residents.
• Ability to support employees when they are sick or exposed.
• Availability of disinfectant supplies and protective gear.
• At least 15 contact tracers per 100,000 residents.
• Ability to temporarily house at least 15 percent of county residents experiencing homelessness.

What's more, counties also must be able to accommodate a minimum surge of 35 percent in their hospital systems and have a "robust plan" for protecting the hospital workforce, Ghaly said. Nursing homes must have two weeks' worth of personal protective equipment, or PPE.

Still, Newsom said we could see some dine-in restaurants opening "in the next week or so" after full guidelines are released Tuesday if counties work "quickly and collaboratively" with businesses and the state.

Higher-risk venues such as gyms, hair salons and churches, which include more person-to-person contact, won't reopen until the state enters Stage 3 of its plan. And mass-gathering places such as concert venues and sports stadiums will stay closed until the state has access to drugs that treat COVID-19 — a development that may take months or longer, experts have said.

As places start to reopen, Newsom cautioned that the state can expect to see more cases of the coronavirus pop up.

"This, by no stretch of the imagination, is over," Newsom said. "We're not out of the woods."

• SEE ALSO: California Starts Reopening This Week: 5 Things To Know

Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know