On Tuesday, June 15, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Rosansky released a video sent to Chamber members and other businesses and community members to announce that Liberation Day was here due to the lifting of most of the state’s pandemic guidelines.
“It has been 453 days since Gov. Newsom announced the first stay at home order, and Liberation Day has finally arrived” stated Rosansky in the video. “Most of the state guidelines regarding masks, physical distancing and occupancy limits have ended, and businesses and residents are no longer required to follow the guidelines set forth in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”
Rosansky noted that mask restrictions and physical distancing requirements are still in effect in the workplace, although Ca//OSHA is meeting this week to consider new guidelines that will allow vaccinated individuals to no longer have to wear a mask either indoors or outdoors, or in the presence of unvaccinated individuals.
“Gov., Newsom has already promised to issue an executive order immediately implementing the new Cal/OSHA guidelines once approved at the June 17 meeting, even though they would not normally go into effect until the end of the month,” said Rosansky. “Unvaccinated persons are still required to wear a mask when indoors at businesses or in other public settings.”
Rosansky also mentioned that the latest coronavirus statistics are virtually unchanged from last week, showing a low level of the disease and transmission in Orange County.
“For vaccinated individuals, this truly is Liberation Day, but don’t throw away your mask just yet,” stated Rosansky. “In certain places, masks will still be required to be worn by all persons both vaccinated and unvaccinated. You can still expect to wear a mask in the following places: on public transportation, in public transportation hubs, in health care settings and long-term care facilities, at state and local prisons if you should wind up there, and homeless shelters.”
He added that private businesses may also opt to require all individuals to wear masks or show proof of vaccination, although “there is no current universal system to prove an individual is vaccinated. The governor has indicated that the state will be developing an identification system for people to demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated. It is not being called a vaccination passport, but it is basically the same thing. However, until then, most of this appears to be on the honor system and people will self-attest that they are vaccinated.”
Rosansky noted one important caveat: Gov. Newsom indicated that he is not ready to declare the state of emergency is over, which allows him to issue his executive orders dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
“In the event of the reversal of the steady progress we have made in beating down the disease, the possibility still exists that he could reinstate some or all of the previous restrictions.”
Rosansky concluded his video message by saying “get vaccinated, and be safe.”
Visit the Chamber’s website at NewportBeach.com.
