Bars, gyms and more can begin reopening in California next week

Bars, gyms and a wide range of other venues can begin reopening in California starting next week under new state guidance announced Friday.

Counties will decide how far to go under the state guidelines based on local conditions such as coronavirus infection rates and ability to track COVID-19 cases, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said.

The state is not encouraging counties to reopen those businesses and is simply providing guidance for them to do so, he said. Counties should expand their reopening plans only if a local health official says they can do so safely.

“The state doesn’t say go, the state says how to go when they decide to go,” Ghaly said.

In Sacramento County, health officials said they will review the state’s latest reopening list on Monday and will determine which of those businesses are appropriate for reopening in Sacramento on or around Friday, June 12.

“We want to look carefully at the potential activities to make sure we agree with all of them,” Sacramento health chief Dr. Peter Beilenson said. “We reserve the right to keep certain activities on the prohibited list longer.”

Beilenson previously has said he is willing to open fitness centers immediately, as well as the city zoo. He has not yet analyzed the appropriateness of reopening bars, he said.

Sacramento Zoo officials said they are eager to reopen when given the green light, and have a safety plan already in place which includes requiring visitors to pre-purchase tickets for a state day and time.

“We look forward to opening the zoo as soon as possible,” Sacramento Zoo director Jason Jacobs said. “We’ll have more information for people on Monday.”

El Dorado County health officials issued a statement Friday saying any businesses in their county that meet the state reopening protocols can open on Friday, June 12, and will not need any county approval to do so.

In Yolo County, however, officials issued a statement saying “businesses and activities must wait for the county’s public health officer to ‘green light’ activities before they can resume. The county is proceeding through the re-openings with a thoughtful and methodical approach to help maintain low cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and ensure continued attestation approval by the State while keeping public health and safety a top priority.”

The state is also announcing new guidance for schools for the upcoming academic year with the intent that schools will need a lot of time to make changes to prevent spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said.

The state announced Friday that day camps can reopen starting today with social distancing modifications and increased sanitation. The state also announced reopening guidance for casinos operated by sovereign tribal nations.

Professional sports without live audiences and film sets will be allowed to reopen starting June 12 statewide.

California counties that have secured approval to reopen faster than the rest of the state could begin reopening the following venues and businesses as soon as June 12:

▪ Restaurants, bars and wineries

▪ Fitness facilities

▪ Museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums

▪ Campgrounds

▪ Hotels

▪ Cardrooms and racetracks

▪ Family entertainment centers

People should continue taking precautions to avoid spreading the coronavirus as the economy continues to reopen, California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sonia Angell said.

“Just because some businesses are opening doesn’t mean your risk for COVID-19 is gone,” Angell said in a statement. “We all need to continue to keep physical distancing, wash our hands and wear face coverings in public.”

As part of its efforts to combat the coronavirus, the state will provide schools and child care facilities hand sanitizer, no-touch thermometers, face shields for teachers and childcare providers, cloth face masks for staff and students and more protective N95 masks for school-based health professionals like school nurses, according to a draft of the guidance.

This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Bars, gyms and more can begin reopening in California next week."