SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Changes are coming for restaurant businesses and others after Governor Gavin Newsom lifted the regional stay-home-order in California.
Three of the five regions in California were under the most recent stay-at-home order including the San Joaquin Valley which includes Kern County. Now Governor Newsom confirmed Monday that the entire state is transitioning back into the reopening system we've all seen before.
"All regions effective immediately are no longer in the stay at home order and will move back to the blueprint, the blueprint many of you are familiar with, the blueprint for a safer economy," said Governor Newsom.
Scrapping the regional stay-at-home order comes more than seven weeks after it was announced in December when a COVID surge swept across the state. On Monday, counties moved back into the tiered based reopening system with 54 counties including Kern back in the state's most restrictive purple tier. This, in part, allows restaurants to resume outdoor dining and hair and nail salons to resume indoor operations at limited capacities. The decision to lift the order, according to the state, comes as models show ICU capacities significantly improving in California's five regions by February 21.
But Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong doesn't agree.
"Well the governor has lifted the state at home restrictions in the least transparent way possible that has led to more confusion in the public, during these difficult times we need more transparency, we need more clarity," said Fong.
As 23ABC political contributor, Jeremy Adams points out some people think the decision is timely for the governor.
"I think a lot of people find it to be a coincidence, I'm not saying I agree or disagree with this, but it is a coincidence that he is starting to lift the orders at the same that the recall effort is really starting to gain some momentum," said Adams.
Newsom addressed claims like this during his presser Monday, saying "Yeah that's just complete utter nonsense, so let's just dispense with that fundamental foundationally nonsense."
On the flipside "We live in an era that is absolutely chock-full of cynicism, let's not forget the idea the governor might just be doing what he thinks is right, that he is really just trying to save lives," said Adams.
It's a tone more echoed by democratic assemblyman Rudy Salas who said in part "The governor's move to lift the stay at home order is reflective of the vaccine roll-out, the invaluable service of our front line workers, and county data rates."
Tuesday the state is expected to update the state's tiered-based system to more accurately reflect which county belongs in which tier.
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