COVID-19 has changed so many things, including how businesses now operate. San Luis Obispo County, in response to these changes, has created a Reopening Toolkit and Process that is available online for businesses to review before they can open their doors again. SLO County is currently in Stage 2, which means that lower-risk workplaces may begin to reopen.
What is the State’s Resilience Roadmap?
The State’s Resilience Roadmap is the current document that the state of California is using to keep all residents informed about reopening. SLO County originally created the START Guide, which has now been incorporated into the implementation of the State’s Resilience Roadmap. Within this roadmap that the County will follow, the state clarifies what a modified stay-at-home order looks like, California hospital trend lines and what residents can expect during each stage. The State determines when and how each county may reopen based on a county’s ability to meet the State’s criteria. SLO County cannot move into a later stage until the State allows us to do so.
What is the next step within the Resilience Roadmap?
Once a county complies with the criteria of the current stage within the Resilience Roadmap, like SLO County has, they can begin to open additional businesses. The County’s Reopening webpage outlines the criteria that a business in each industry needs before reopening to the public. This page outlines all of the steps businesses should take to reopen locally.
● Childcare for those outside of the essential workforce
● Office-based business
● Select services: car washes, pet grooming and landscape gardening
● Outdoor museums, open gallery spaces and other public spaces with modifications
Expanded Stage 2
● Destination retail (retail stores), including shopping malls and swap meets.
● Dine-in restaurants (other amenities, like bars or gaming areas, are not permitted in Stage 2)
● Schools with modifications
Businesses not allowed to reopen during this stage
● Personal services (nail salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and fitness studios)
● Indoor museums, children’s museums and gallery spaces, zoos and libraries
● Community centers, including public pools, playgrounds and picnic areas
● Limited-capacity religious services and cultural ceremonies
● Nightclubs
● Concert venues
● Live-audience sports
● Festivals
● Theme parks
● Hotels/lodging for leisure and tourism
● Higher education (colleges)
Looking to the future
SLO County has moved fully through Stage 2 and there is no information regarding when our county will move into Stage 3 and Stage 4. To stay up to date with the current status of SLO County and to prepare your business for your future reopening, visit the County’s Reopening and Self Certification Process webpage.
How to stay informed
Current information on reopening can be found at emergencyslo.org. SLO County Public Health Department holds Live Press Briefings multiple times per week. You can view the past briefings here.
