Governor Newsom Strives to Bring Back a "Healthy Workforce" During California's Re-Opening

Today, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, gave some updates on the states response to the coronavirus.

Gavin Newsom ©(Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)

He acknowledged the importance of restoring the economy, but stressed the need to keep the workforce safe.

Governor Newsom began the press conference speaking about the importance of testing for the virus. He stated how the nation and state have both underperformed with an average of 2,000 tests per day in California. The Governor acknowledged that the number of tests was unacceptable, but in the last 24 hours they had administered more than 40,000 tests.

People gather in Newport Beach to cool off on a hot day on
Saturday, April 25, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

He went on to discuss more “meaningful modifications” that needed to happen as the state slowly re-opens. Over 70% of the state is “open with modifications,” and more openings are coming soon. He noted how they are progressing towards opening offices for employees who can’t work from home and outlet malls for pickup orders only.

Photo Credit: Mall at Millenia

The California Department of Public Health created new guidelines for restaurants, specifically in regards to indoor dining. You can check out the full guidelines for restaurants in California here. The governor went on to say that they are actively avoiding “taking the mask off” and returning to business as normal too quickly. Governor Newsom also expressed that it is important that restaurant employees feel safe and free to decide when they are comfortable returning to work.

©Jaleo

He noted one of the primary goals is not only for restaurants to become profitable after opening, but to ensure the workforce is healthy when they do return to work. We will keep you updated as we hear more from Governor Newsom in the future!