California is fighting the good fight against COVID-19, and a more “normal” future may be ahead.
CA Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the state’s economy will likely completely reopen on June 15, 2021, meaning the end of the tier system and a return to a something resembling our pre-COVID routine – with some changes, of course.
Mask-wearing will still be an obligatory part of daily life in California, as well as continuous and equitable vaccine distribution. The state has now administered 20 million vaccines, with at least 1 dose administered to 70% of Californians 65 and over, and 40% of Californians 16 and older. In San Francisco, those numbers are 85% and 50% respectively.
With more than 20M vaccines administered & the lowest case rates in the nation, Californians’ work to fight #COVID19 is paying off.
We’re setting our eyes on safely reopening our economy on June 15, with mandated masking and a continued focus on equitable vaccine administration. pic.twitter.com/4iimzCEM6q
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) April 7, 2021
“We’re seeing death rates, mortality rates go down. We’re seeing case rates stabilize. We have the lowest case rates in the United States of America,” said Newsom in a Tuesday press conference. “Continuing to wear face coverings, continuing to access vaccines and continuing to administer vaccines in an equitable framework. If we keep the pace, we are moving now beyond the Blueprint.” The “Blueprint” refers to California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, or the colored tier system.
“With the expectation of an abundance of doses coming in from the federal government, through the end of this month and into May, we can confidently say by June 15, that we can start to open up at business as usual,” continued Newsom. “Subject to ongoing mask wearing and ongoing vigilance. It is incumbent upon all of us not to announce ‘mission accomplished,’ not to put down our guard, but to continue that vigilance that got us where we are today – the lowest case rates, positivity rates, that is, in America.”
As of today 50% of San Franciscans over 16 have received a vaccine.
We're vaccinating almost 12,000 San Franciscans per day.
The end of this pandemic is getting closer. pic.twitter.com/j9H7X3QXqM
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) April 6, 2021
California’s vaccine rollout has been so extensive that it rivals most countries around the world. In fact, if it was a country, California would rank 6th in the world for vaccine administrations. Last month on March 5, Governor Newsom also announced that the state h ad set aside 40% of vaccines for its most disadvantaged areas. According to a tweet from the governor yesterday, over 4 million vaccines have been given in the state’s “hardest hit communities.”
[Featured Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP]