Coronavirus Update: Solano County Allows All 'Low Risk' Businesses To Reopen
FAIRFIELD (CBS SF) -- Phase 2 of the reopening process in California started Friday but depending on where you live the restrictions may differ.
For example in Solano County, it doesn't matter what type of business you operate. If you're considered low risk, you're allowed to open, including some offices of non-essential businesses.
According to the Solano County Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas, he wanted to base openings on whether or not the business could follow social distancing guidelines.
"We're basing our decisions in basic principles," Matyas said. "Not our own preconceptions on how businesses operate."
The governor has given individual counties power to move at their own pace with the reopening, if they comply with strict requirements laid out by the state.
When asked whether or not churches will be open this Sunday, Matyas said: "Don't ask and don't tell. We're not doing it by business sector. Again our issue wasn't -- 'Oh you can do it or you're not ok.' Our issue was can you observe physical distancing."
Friday night in downtown Fairfield, some signs of economic life as brightly lit open signs were back on again after a tough 6 weeks.
Ayman Odeh, the owner of Fairfield Cigar and Vape is relieved to be back open again.
"Working everyday and making money everyday and one day to just close," he said.
Now for Odeh, his predicament is to get back the employees that he lost.
"They make more money on unemployment so they decided to stay home instead of come here and make less money," Odeh said.
Solano County has had 351 confirmed cases and a total of 7 deaths. Still some residents are worried those numbers will rise with the reopening.
"It's kind of scary," said Stacey Grace, a Fairfield local. "I don't think I'll be going out just yet."
Another local, B.C. Hoff, said there was a trepidation as businesses reopen.
"There's a little trepidation still with the coronavirus, but I think we need to go back to some sort of normalcy with each other and society," Hoff said.
Solano County officials have been working with businesses over the last two weeks to make sure they can protect their employees and the public. If the county sees an increase in cases, Matyas says they will quickly reinstate the restrictions again.
"If that were to happen it would not be a reflection in a failure of approach it, it would be a failure in people to adhere to the approach," Matyas said.
The opening of restaurants and businesses like salons will come in phase 3. Those businesses will have to comply with guidelines that's currently being developed by the state.
