California cancels strict Quarantine and many Businesses may Reopen

Globe Live Media, Monday, January 25, 2021

After upholding one of the strictest standards in the country for weeks, Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, decided to cancel the state order that prohibited commercial activities and required residents to stay home except in an emergency.

All counties in the state will revert to the color system, a risk classification based on the number of new cases detected in the region that serves to warn residents of the level of exposure to the virus they would have if they decide to leave their homes.

As an immediate measure, Throughout the state, restaurants would be authorized to offer outdoor service, gyms to restart outdoor activities as well, and beauty salons to serve customers by appointment.. This had not happened in California since the beginning of December.

In any case, the reopening is partial. Most indoor business activities will continue to be restricted.

The areas where the biggest change will be seen will be Southern California (which includes The Angels), the bay area to the north (which includes San Francisco) and the San Joaquin Valley. Being the most densely populated areas of the state, they are also the most affected by the pandemic and it is where the greatest restrictions have been seen. Local authorities have the ability to establish stricter rules than those ordered by the governor, but not more flexible. Still no mayor has spoken out announcing that they will be more restrictive than the governor’s office requires.

A street in San Francisco with almost no people, during the order to stay in their homes that was in effect for the last month. 

“California has slowly started to improve from the most critical point of this new wave of the pandemic. We are beginning to see the light at the end of the path we have been waiting for so much “Dr. Mark Ghaly, California state secretary of health and human services, told the press. “Seven weeks ago our hospitals and our medical workers were on the verge of collapse. But Californians listened to the request to stay home as long as possible, and the rise in the number of cases after the December holidays was not as serious as we had imagined.

In any case, the situation in California is far from ideal. Los Angeles County is the most afflicted in the country. In the last month more than 5 thousand people died as a result of COVID 19 there. In the last 24 hours, the positive status of 21,680 people in the state was confirmed, which already adds about 3,200,000 cases and 37,118 deaths as a result of the virus.

The Dineylandia stop in Anaheim, Califonia, remains closed. Disney announced the layoff of 28,000 workers. 

The governor had ordered the rule to stay indoors on December 3 as a result of pressure on hospital staff. Although hospitals continue to work at full capacity, the estimate provided by the government is that hospital capacity will increase by 15 percent in the coming weeks, and that allows for more flexibility in the rules.

Chambers of commerce put a lot of pressure on California politicians. The economic impact of the restrictive measures has bankrupted countless businesses across the state. The restaurant chamber has publicly stated that it is exploring suing Los Angeles County over the work ban. 50 Napa and Sonoma-area vineyards and restaurants have already sued the state for prohibiting them from entertaining customers outdoors. Lawyers argue that the fundamental right to work is being violated and that such violation is leading an entire industry to ruin.