17 counties have gotten OK to start reopening

SACRAMENTO — Seventeen counties have the goahead from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration to reopen their local economies more quickly than the state as a whole.

The counties largely encompass rural areas in Northern California and the Sierra, with the exception of San Benito County south of the Bay Area.

All met stateset benchmarks in containing the coronavirus pandemic to qualify for early reopening.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that some counties would be allowed to reopen sitdown restaurants and permit some instore shopping if they implemented new social distancing procedures. Schools can also reopen.

As of late Wednesday, counties that received the goahead were San Benito, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama, Tuolumne, Yuba and Sutter.

Local public health officers reported they have met testing targets, are able to handle a hospital surge and have had no coronavirus deaths for 14 days, as Newsom’s rules require.

California’s Office of Emergency Services had previously threatened to withhold disaster funds for some counties, Yuba and Sutter included, after local officials allowed diners, barbershops and other businesses to open earlier. Modoc County, which fully reopened on its own, has yet to receive state approval.

Newsom has faced increasing pressure to reopen California’s economy nearly two months after he imposed the stayathome order. Millions of Californians have lost their jobs, and several rural counties have openly rebelled against the order.

Last week, Newsom loosened some restrictions statewide, allowing for curbside retail pickups and child care for people who are nonessential workers. Restrictions remain in place in much of the Bay Area, though San Francisco and San Mateo and Marin counties plan to allow curbside service starting Monday.

Statewide rules still prohibit the reopening of nail salons, gyms, nightclubs, churches, community centers, liveaudience sporting arenas, arcades, theme parks, indoor museums and universities in all counties.