With the hope of preventing another virus surge, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new process Friday for reopening businesses that’s more gradual than the first attempt that eventually led him to close many businesses soon after they reopened. “Simple, also slow,” is how the Democratic governor described the new rules, which take effect today. The four-tiered, color-coded system ranks counties based on the number of virus cases and infection rates. Businesses can add more customers or open more services as their county moves into lower tiers. For example, counties in the most restrictive tier — purple — can only allow restaurant dining outside. But in lower red, orange, and yellow tiers, they can serve people in indoor dining rooms at reduced capacity. When the new system takes effect, 38 of the state’s 58 counties, including San Bernardino, and nearly every other large county, will begin at purple. Only three rural counties will begin in the yellow phase, the least restrictive.
