Governor Newsom Says California Could Be Reopening In ‘Weeks’

California schools could welcome back students this summer and retail and manufacturing businesses could reopen in the coming weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday as he offered his most concrete glimpse yet of what a gradual reopening may look like.

With health care capacity and hospitalizations stabilizing, Newsom said the state is "weeks, not months" away from making “meaningful modifications” to a statewide order that has relegated Californians to their homes for nearly six weeks. On Tuesday, Newsom said schools could start the next academic year early, possibly in late July or early August, though he did not specify how much instruction could occur on campuses.

“We are considering the prospect of an even earlier school year,” Newsom said, adding that “we need to start preparing for the physical changes in the schools.”

State Public Health Officer Sonia Angell explained that an earlier school year will not only help students make up learning gaps due to current campus closures, but also help parents return to full-time work.

One of Newsom’s preconditions for curtailing coronavirus-related restrictions is ensuring that schools and businesses can safeguard the health of their staff and maintain safe distances between students and customers. He had previously said that might look like schools staggering class times and restaurants offering fewer tables.

“The goal here will be creating opportunities for lower-risk sectors to adapt and reopen,” Angell said, which would entail making "the workspace environment as safe as possible.”

Check out the full article from Politico here.