During his daily coronavirus briefing on Tuesday Governor Gavin Newsom focused on the plan for some non essential businesses to reopen.

He says with data showing California stabilizing it’s time to start planning, “I want to make this clear, we believe we are weeks not months in making meaningful modifications.”

Businesses will be phased in four stages, pending the indicators remain stable. We’re in stage one with only essential businesses open.

“We need to protect not just the business community but customers of those businesses, one thing to open a business but there’s no demand, it’s a false promise,” says Newsom.

In weeks stage two will allow retail and manufacturers of non essential goods to reopen with modifications like social distancing and phase three and four include the higher risk businesses where close contact is required like hair salons and large venues, are months away from reopening.

“We are not going back to the way things were until we get the kind of immunity all of us look forward to or vaccine,” says Newsom.

Elyssa Goldberg, owner of BG‘s El Paseo known for their colorful clothing has missed her customers and is excited about the possibility of reopening, “I cannot wait,” she says adding she likes the phased approach and has already been planning for the new normal that includes masks and limiting customers, ” … sanitizing station, appointments, absolutely I‘m ready to do that right now, and curbside service, we’re willing to do whatever we can to get back rolling again in a way that’s comfortable and safe for everybody else.”

For more on the plan to reopen click: California’s Pandemic Resilience Roadmap

The governor says during stage two counties may choose to relax orders at their own pace depending on the number of cases in their area and the orders can be pulled back if there’s a surge.

Governor Announces Plan for Some Non-Essential Businesses to Open in Weeks