What will SLO County life look like under ‘relaxed’ restrictions? Here are some ideas

San Luis Obispo County is still a long way from getting “back to normal.”

Yet new coronavirus cases are down, and county officials are talking about possibly relaxing some of the stringent shelter-at-home restrictions imposed in mid-March.

If new cases remain low, that assessment could happen in around two weeks — putting us at early May.

“Could” is the operative word, however.

We are also under a statewide stay-at-home order, and Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear that the number of people hospitalized in California with COVID-19 will have to decline before restrictions are eased.

“In two weeks, if we see a continued decline, not just flattening, but a decline ... ask me then,” Newsom told reporters.

In other words, hang onto those masks.

Some precautions will almost certainly remain in place until we get a vaccine. And that isn’t expected for at least another year.

Still, it’s worth considering what an easing of restrictions could mean for San Luis Obispo County.

Could we go out to eat again?

Attend weddings?

Return to work?

Here are some thoughts on how to gradually loosen some of the rules, based on opinions of medical experts and officials, including Gov. Newsom.

The great outdoors is a good place to start

Reopen some campgrounds and parks that are now closed. That would help us from going stir crazy.

As long as we don’t gather on local beaches in large groups, let us sit on our towels, build sandcastles and watch the waves as long as we like.

Keep the basketball courts and soccer fields shut, though. And sorry, no baseball.

Schools?

Most California school districts have already announced that schools will not reopen until the fall.

San Luis Obispo County school officials have not made that announcement, with the exception of San Luis Coastal Unified School District. What are the others waiting for? It doesn’t make much sense to try to reopen classrooms for a few weeks.

If schools — especially high schools — are hoping to reopen in time for end-of-year rituals like graduation, that’s a risky proposition. Medical experts are warning against large gatherings, and even if graduates were seated six feet apart, can you really expect students not to hug and high-five at such an emotional event?

Postponing graduation until fall might not be a safe bet either; health officials already are talking about planning for social distancing when the new school year opens, which could mean staggered schedules so that students aren’t together in large groups.

Protect the most vulnerable

That includes older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, who should continue sheltering at home as much as possible. That’s a large chunk of SLO County’s population; 20% of residents are 65 or over.

That doesn’t mean people over 65 should never venture out, but continuing current practices — which include maintaining “senior hours” at supermarkets and avoiding in-person volunteer work at places like food banks and homeless shelters — should continue.

Start reopening ‘Main Street’

Some businesses now classified as non-essential could gradually be allowed to reopen — if they can adjust their operations to ensure safe social distancing.

That may mean reducing inventory or limiting the number of customers allowed in at one time. Smaller shops, such as jewelry stores and clothing boutiques, might need to start out on an appointment-only basis.

Larger stores, like Kohls and Marshalls and T.J. Max, should be OK to reopen if they can maintain a six-foot distance between customers, sanitize shopping carts, supply gloves and hand sanitizer, just as supermarkets, hardware stores and other essential businesses are doing now.

Should Plexiglas dividers be installed at every cash register? If it can help us safely reopen some of these closed businesses, maybe so.

What about restaurants and bars?

For restaurants that want to reopen dining rooms, that will likely mean reducing the number of tables, and no sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar area.

Also, according to Gov. Newsom’s Tuesday press briefing, it could mean taking customers’ temperatures at the door, requiring servers to wear masks and gloves and providing disposable menus.

Reopen bars? That’s dicey. By their nature, most bars don’t allow for a lot of elbow room, and after a few margaritas, patrons may not be so inclined to follow social distancing rules.

Can we go to concerts?

Look for large gatherings, such as concerts and sporting events, to be canceled for some time to come, possibly until a vaccine is available.

Other gatherings, such as weddings, funerals and church services, will likely be limited in size — some experts recommend no more than 50 people — and, as always, require social distancing between groups that aren’t within the same household.

What about work?

Some medical experts are recommending allowing workers who have immunity to coronavirus to return first. But until antibody tests that can detect whether someone has had the virus are widely available, we won’t know who those people are.

Medical experts also are advising to bring employees back to the worksite gradually or perhaps on staggered shifts, to limit the number of people there at any one time.

In other words, if people can continue to work from home, they should.

Will we still need masks?

The short answer: Yes.

Handshakes and hugs with non-household members?

A big fat no.

Listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on that one: “You don’t ever shake anybody’s hand — that’s clear,” he said in a recent Journal podcast.

Even after the crisis has passed, we should refrain from handshaking, he said, since that habit can also spread more common diseases like influenza.

Are we ready for this?

Even when things do start to normalize, it may take some time for people to feel comfortable about re-entering the wider world.

Activities that once seemed commonplace are now generating huge amounts of anxiety.

Check out these findings from a recent Axios/Ipsos poll of 1,098 adults:

• 91% of respondents believed traveling on a plane or mass transit was a large or moderate risk.
• 89% believed attending in-person events or conferences was a large or moderate risk.
• 81% believed attending gatherings of friends and family outside the household was a large or moderate risk.
• 70% believed going to the grocery store was a large or moderate risk.
• 33% believed picking up takeout from a restaurant was a large or moderate risk.

Granted, this poll was taken on April 10-13, more or less in the middle of a pandemic.

But even when numbers drop, feelings of insecurity are likely to remain with us for some time.

Widespread testing and, of course, a vaccine should help alleviate concerns.

Until that time, our best defenses remain unchanged: Stay home as much as possible and definitely if you’re sick. Keep at least six feet away from anyone not in your immediate household. Wear a face covering when you’re in public. Sanitize surfaces. Wash your hands.

And remember, things may not get “back to normal” for many, many months. But they will begin to get better.

This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 5:00 AM.