Joe Patwell, 77, of Los Angeles, right, walks with other people on the boardwalk in Venice Beach on a sunny Monday afternoon. Patwell said he received his first injection of the vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and will receive his second injection soon.
Mel Melcon | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
WASHINGTON – California plans to reopen its economy on June 15, as long as there are enough Covid-19 vaccines for everyone who wants them and hospitalizations remain stable, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday.
“With more than 20 million vaccines administered across the state, it’s time to turn the page on our tier system and start trying to fully reopen the California economy,” said Newsom in a statement. “Now we can start planning our post-pandemic lives. We need to remain vigilant and continue the practices that have brought us here – wearing masks and being vaccinated – but the light at the end of this tunnel has never been so bright, ”he added.
Newsom’s announcement came just over a year after California, the nation’s most populous state, closed its economy due to the ongoing health epidemic.
The state is also scheduled to shut down its four-level, color-coded system, which has been used to determine levels of risk.
In the past month, a number of states across the country have relaxed restrictions to varying degrees.
Texas reversed its masking mandate and allowed companies to reopen at 100% capacity on March 10. Lone Star State also welcomed the country’s first full-capacity sporting event with its Texas Rangers home debut on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays, which sold with more than 38,000 fans seated side by side.
The Arizona governor also closed the capacity limits for companies, but said masks should still be required.
The Alabama governor said the state would withdraw its mask mandate after April 9. South Carolina suspended the state’s masking mandate in government buildings, but recommended that restaurants continue to require facial coverage.
The latest revelation came when federal health officials warned that Americans should still continue to adhere to public health measures as the warmer months of summer approach.
“You may remember a little over a year ago, when we were looking for the summer to rescue us from the outbreaks. It was actually the opposite,” said White House chief medical consultant, Dr. Anthony Fauci, during a coronavirus. at the White House briefing Monday.
“We saw some substantial increases in the summer. I don’t think we should even think about depending on the weather to rescue us from whatever we are in now,” he added.
Fauci also said on Monday that Americans should continue to receive two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, despite a recent study suggesting that just one dose may be sufficient.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended that Americans continue to avoid traveling due to coronavirus cases across the country.
“We know that we now have an increasing number of cases. I would advocate against travel in general,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky last week. “We are not recommending travel at this time, especially for unvaccinated individuals,” she added.