Restaurants in some counties could be opening as early as next week, said Gov. Newsom in his press briefing Thursday.
The administration will put out new guidelines for dine-in restaurants on Tuesday. To reopen restaurants, counties will first have to meet certain metrics, such as low case numbers of COVID-19.
“The likelihood of some counties meeting all the criteria,” he said, “is very high in certain parts of the state.”
While the news is good for farmers struggling to redirect their supply chains to new markets, the reopening will still not be easy. Restaurants will reduce capacity by as much as 50% to maintain social distancing, and many may not choose to reopen until they can accommodate a full house. This raises questions about how much demand for farm products the service industry will generate through the rest of the year.
Newsom also cautioned that “there are conditions that persist in the state, in this nation, that make reopening very, very challenging as it relates to the specifics of restaurants.”
The state also released new industry guidance for reducing exposure risk. It includes revised recommendations for “agriculture and livestock” as well as food packing and processing.
