GOV NEWSOM BARES NEW BIZ PLAN

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new, color-coded process Friday for reopening California businesses amid the coronovirus pandemic that is more gradual than the state's current rules to guard against loosening restrictions too soon.

Counties will move through the new, four-tier system based on their number of cases and percentage of positive tests. It will rely on those two metrics to determine a tier: case rates and the percentage of positive tests, according to KCRA 3 News.

Newsom said the new system will be simple, slower and steady. It's aimed at preventing a surge in infections, like the one between Memorial Day and July 4 as the state began reopening the first time around. That prompted Newsom to shut down bars, restaurants for indoor dining and a slew of other businesses about two months ago.

After being forced to close businesses for a second time, the state is “making sure that we really hold strongly to these buffers in terms of criteria and data, and holding that criteria and data in line for an extended period of time,” Newsom said.

“We’re going to be more stubborn this time and have a mandatory wait time between moves. We didn’t do that last time,” he added.

In simple terms, the rules are about calibrating business activities with how widespread the virus is within counties. The more cases and positive tests, the tighter the restrictions on restaurants, retail shops and other businesses.

However, many details about how the process would work remained unclear.

Under the new process, counties will have to meet certain metrics for three weeks before they can reopen certain businesses. One notable change is that hair salons and barbershops in all counties are getting the OK from the state to resume indoor operations on Monday. Some counties, however, may have stricter guidelines than the state.