Child care, some offices can reopen in SLO County after California eases restrictions
People who work in office settings that can’t easily telecommute can go back to their buildings, as the statewide restriction on that social distancing measure has been lifted in California.
But San Luis Obispo County’s top health official said that telecommuting is still preferred whenever possible.
The state of California hasn’t yet implemented its Stage 2 plan to reopen the economy, but it has moved some of the protocol in Stage 2 down to its current Stage 1 guidelines, said Dr. Penny Borenstein, SLO County’s health officer, at a Wednesday news conference.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that California office employees may go back to work if they must, but they still must follow certain criteria.
“If you cannot telework, we will allow for office modifications and office openings on a statewide basis,” Newsom said during his Tuesday coronavirus press conference, according to a Sacramento Bee story.
“Telecommuting at office-based businesses is still preferred, but offices may be used (for workers to return) if it meets the needs,” Borenstein said.
Other reopenings include child care for non-essential workers, museums, galleries, landscaping and gardening shops, and car washes, Borenstein said.
It’s unclear which specific businesses may or may not reopen, given it’s a company’s individual choice to do so.
SLO County officials say they’re hoping other industries, such as dine-in restaurant and in-person retail shopping, will soon be open as well, though the county must adhere to the state’s order on those steps.
This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued guidelines for how restaurants may be allowed to resume dine-in services.
Local restaurants can still offer takeout and delivery service and retail stores can offer curbside pickup, but patrons aren’t allowed full service yet.
Borenstein said that child care in particular will come as a relief to many parents who have struggled to balance their workdays and watching their children.
SLO County’s COVID-19 case total stood at 232 as of Wednesday — the third time in the past four days that the county had seen an increase of five or more COVID-19 cases.
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