On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at approximately 11:00 a.m. PDT, Governor Gavin Newsom provided an update in San Francisco on the state’s plan to fully and safely reopen.
Specifically, it was announced that California aims to “fully reopen its economy” by June 15th if there is enough vaccine supply for Californians 16+ who want to be vaccinated and if hospitalizations remain stable and low. The mask mandate will continue. This will mark an end to our color-coded tier system. “We are moving beyond the blueprint,” Newsom said.
The Governor’s press release can be found here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/04/06/governor-newsom-outlines-the-states-next-step-in-the-covid-19-pandemic-recovery-moving-beyond-the-blueprint/.
The announcement comes as the state reaches 20 million vaccines administered – with 4 million to Californians in the hardest-hit communities. Over 70 percent of the state’s 65+ population has received at least 1 dose and over 40 percent of the 16+ population has received at least 1 dose.
Also, the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate is down to 1.6 percent (the lowest positivity rate in the US) and vaccine eligibility is expanding April 15th. Notably, Newsom said he anticipates more than 30M people will get at least one vaccine dose by the end of April.
Despite the optimistic news, Newsom said the coronavirus is "still prevalent, still deadly, and still a challenge that we need to tackle.” He urged Californians not to let their guards down. He continued, "This is really a race. These vaccines against the variants." The state has been tracking several concerning variants spreading through the state.
During the Q&A, Newsom was asked about schools. In response, he said he wants kids back for in-person instruction and that on June 15th he anticipates "no barrier to getting all of our kids safely back into the classroom.”
Regarding mass vaccination sites, Newsom said the sites in Oakland and Los Angeles will remain open. “The only difference is that the vaccines will not be coming directly from the federal government,” he said.
"We are not anticipating in the short run lifting the mask mandate," Newsom said, adding that it is one of the most effective tools to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Asked about bills being proposed and priorities of the Legislature including issues such as single payer and banning fracking, Newsom said he is supportive of “transformational change but that California must maintain fiscal prudence because the state’s surplus is limited.”
The press conference concluded at approximately 11:43 a.m. PDT.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. There is now a total of 3,583,830 (5 new cases per 100K) confirmed positive cases and 58,541 (+0.01 new deaths per 100K) deaths in California. As of April 5th, there have been 55,377,325 tests conducted in California and reported to the California Department of Public Health. A total of 20,267,689 vaccines have been administered. More information regarding the most recent COVID-19 statistics can be found here.
Naomi Padron
Legislative Advocate
McHugh Koepke & Associates
1121 L Street, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 930-1993
www.mchughgr.com
