[conspire] June 15th reopening in California

[Rick Moen]

Months ago, Gov. Newsom announced that all _statewide_ capacity and social
distancing restrictions would go away on June 15th (tomorrow).  To my
surprise, he hasn't gotten cold feet on that policy goal (but CalOSHA
recently put its oar in).  However, I was unclear on what that means for
me and thee.  So, maybe you are, too -- and therefore I'm recapping what
will happen tomorrow, for clarity's sake.


The _SF Comical_ has a pretty good article.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/california-reopening-covid-rules-bay-area-16234487.php

Summarising:

o  CA Dept. of Public Health's statewide requirements will go away and be
   replaced by a much more modest "Beyond the Blueprint" thingie, at
   https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Beyond-Blueprint-Framework.aspx

o  "Beyond the Blueprint" (terrible name, but so-called because it
   replaces a CalDPH plan called "Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers
   Chart" scales back mandatory restrictions to cover _only_ "indoor
   mega events" (still high-risk even if outdoors).  Indoor mega events
   are things like conventions, conferences, expos, concerts, sports
   events.

   For indoor mega events (attendence over 5,000), organisers are
   required to check evidence of ramped-up vaccine immunity or a 
   pre-entry negative PCR test within the past 72 hours.

o  For outdoor mega events (attendance 10,000+), attendees must wear
   face coverings (and venues must offer them).

o  Face coverings will remain mandatory in "health care settings and
   public transportation, including airports and transit stations".

o  CalDPH also made a bunch of strong _recommendations_ that will now
   be non-mandatory, such as checking vaccine immunity or recent PCR
   results for outdoor mega events, increased ventilation of indoor
   spaces, etc. -- obvious precautions alert Californians are already
   aware of.

o  Capacity limits and social distancing requirements state-mandated 
   onto businesses will go away.

o  Businesses, cities, and counties _remain free to enforce tighter_
   requirements.  Some will, especially social distancing and 
   face coverings.  Of the Bay Area's counties, only San Francisco
   County is imposing some extra requirements for "health care
   facilities, shelters, skilled nursing facilities, and other high-risk
   settings".

o  Separately from the above, CalOSHA will require employers statewide 
   to require employees to wear face coverings for at least the next two
   weeks.  (Policy will be reviewed, then.)



So, to recap my recap:

What will change is that the _statewide_ mandate for capacity
limits, social distancing, and face coverings for people entering
businesses (except mega events) goes away tomorrow.  The requirement 
outdoors for social distancing (and for face coverings where social
distancing is impaired) goes away tomorrow.  

Businesses, counties, and cities will remain free to impose their own
local requirements -- and I'm betting many will (for now), especially
businesses.

Expect to see a lot of "I'm a special sociopath" misbehaviour, with
excuses like "the statewide reopening means you cannot require me to
wear a mask" and "I refuse to obey rules that keep on changing".