Governors across the nation have eased harsh restrictions related to the CCP virus or are planning to start soon.
The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that emerged from mainland China last year, causes the potentially deadly disease COVID-19. Over one million people have been infected in the United States
Here’s the situation with each state and the District of Columbia. This post will be updated. Last updated on May 7.
Alabama
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey hasn’t announced expanded reopenings after letting some businesses welcome customers last month.
Restaurants, salons, gyms, movie theaters, and a host of other businesses remain closed.
The altered stay-at-home order kept some restrictions in place but allowed retailers to welcome customers inside. State beaches reopened and elective procedures were allowed to resume.
Public schools in the state could bring back some students in June as part of a phased reopening, Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey told AL.com on May 3.
Alaska
The second phase of reopening is slated for May 8.
So-called non-essential businesses like retailers and personal care services will be able to welcome customers with a capacity limit of 50 percent while gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed.
Gyms and other fitness-related businesses can reopen at 25 capacity along with bars, libraries, and museums.
Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy allowed some sectors of the economy to begin reopening on April 24, including retailers, barbers, nail salons, and hairdressers can reopen.
Arizona
Restaurants can welcome customers inside for dine-in service starting May 11, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said.
“We’re working closely with the industry, and they will have this week to prepare,” Ducey said at a press conference this week. “This is a safe and good option at this time, and they’ll have a full week in which to prepare.”
Ducey altered his stay-at-home order as he extended it until May 4.
The order let retailers start to serve customers through curbside pickup, delivery, walk-up service, and appointments.
Stores can welcome customers inside on an expanded basis starting May 8, with some social distancing measures in place.
Elective surgeries restarted on May 1.
Arkansas
Gyms, fitness centers, and athletic facilities started reopening on May 4, while barbershops, salons, tattoo parlors, and spas can reopen on May 6, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, said at a press conference.
Large outdoor venues were also allowed to reopen.
Officials are targeting May 15 for the second phase of reopening.
Restaurants, museums, and retailers, among others, will be allowed to reopen then.
Large indoor venues such as bowling alleys and movie theaters cannot reopen until May 18.
State parks reopened on May 1.
California
Businesses deemed lower risk can reopen on May 8, including non-essential manufacturing, childcare facilities, and retailers for curbside pickup.
Offices and shopping malls will not reopen as of yet. Restaurants, which have remained open for takeout, delivery, and curbside service won’t be allowed to offer seated dining.
Certain counties can move through the reopening phases faster than others but they must meet criteria such as a specific daily rate of new cases and have a readiness plan that’s available to the public.
But Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday criticized two counties that are reopening a wide range of businesses ahead of others, calling the process a big mistake” that’s “putting their public at risk.”
Check here for live updates on developments in California.
Colorado
Office work resumed at 50 percent capacity on May 4 after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis loosened his stay-at-home order on April 27.
Real estate showings resumed and curbside retail sales started last week.
Barbershops, salons, and retailers reopened with limitations on May 1.
“I want to reiterate, the Safer-at-Home phase is not going back to life as normal. It’s not a major adjustment from where we have been,” Polis said in a statement. “Safer-at-Home means most Coloradans should continue to limit social interactions to the greatest extent possible to just individuals in your household and wear facial masks when you are out.”
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said this week that the city will align with the eased statewide order on May 9.
Connecticut
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont on May 6 said colleges and universities can start gradually reopening during the summer.
“This framework to reopen our higher education institutions is a vital component of our overall plan to reopen Connecticut,” Lamont said in a statement.
Primary schools won’t reopen for the rest of the school year.
Lamont’s extended stay-at-home order runs until May 20. His four-stage reopening plan doesn’t start until then.
The first phase includes letting restaurants and bars open their outdoor areas. Museums, zoos, offices, and retailers can also open.
Delaware
Some businesses can reopen on Friday morning, Gov. John Carney said on May 5.
Retailers can reopen and serve customers using curbside pickup. Jewelry stores can conduct business by appointment only. Personal care services can reopen but can only offer services to workers who are employed by businesses deemed essential.
Drive-through movie theaters are also allowed to welcome customers, according to Carney’s office.
The relaxations are the first offered in the coastal state, where the Democratic governor had said officials needed to see a downward trend over two weeks of positive CCP virus cases and other metrics.
Carney has not decided on when beaches can reopen.
District of Columbia
Phase one of reopening could start this month, Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser said in recent days, but she has resisted committing to a start date.
Bowser’s current stay-at-home order is slated to expire on May 15 but could be extended.
Officials have said the first phase will only start after three metrics show a sustained decline: new daily CCP virus cases, reports of flu-like illnesses, and new cases inside nursing homes.
“We all want to get back to work, church, school, and all of those things. But if we do it in a way that we can’t support with testing and contact tracing, we’re going to be back to square one,” Bowser told WUSA9 on May 5.
Florida
Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties can start reopening soon, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said May 6.
South Florida was the hardest hit region in the state by the pandemic.
“We’ll hopefully be able to go forward soon in southern Florida, and I think that we can look to South Florida to really help lead Florida back,” DeSantis said at a press conference.
A number of businesses reopened on May 4 under phase one.
Restaurants were able to serve a limited number of customers indoors while healthcare facilities could resume elective procedures. Retailers were able to welcome customers but must be at 25 percent capacity or lower. Bars, gyms, and personal service businesses remained closed.
The southern Florida counties were excluded because of high numbers of CCP virus cases.
Georgia
A slew of businesses began reopening on April 24, including restaurants, movie theaters, and bowling alleys as Republican Gov. Brian Kemp became one of the first governors in the nation to significantly relax a stay-at-home order.
Kemp allowed his order to expire on April 30 but extended a state of emergency until June, with some restrictions remaining in place.
Bars, nightclubs, amusement parks, and live performance venues are still closed, while older and “medically fragile” Georgians are still required to largely stay at home.
Officials have urged people to remain aware of the virus and social distancing guidelines.
Hawaii
Non-food agriculture businesses, auto dealerships, pet grooming services, childcare businesses, and repair services are allowed to reopen on Thursday.
Shopping mall retail and repair services can also welcome customers, as can observatories.
Democratic Gov. David Ige noted that some municipalities are keeping some or all businesses closed, including Maui County.
Stores in that county have no reopening date.
“We are not out of the woods yet, but we are getting there,” Ige said at a press conference.
Reopening started recently in some areas with select businesses, including florists, allowed to reopen. Some local jurisdictions obtained permission to move ahead with reopening ahead of the rest of the state.
Ige’s stay-at-home order was extended last month to May 31. The altered order opened Hawaii’s beaches back up for exercise and allowed healthcare facilities to resume elective surgeries.
Idaho
Public schools can welcome students back to buildings if criteria laid out by the state Board of Education on Monday is followed.
Nearly all businesses were allowed to reopen on May 1 after Republican Gov. Brad Little’s stay-at-home order expired.
Ninety percent of businesses were allowed to reopen if owners wanted, according to Little’s office.
Houses of worship could also open, along with daycares, organized youth events, and camps.
Stage two of reopening is planned for May 16. That stage deals with restaurants, gyms, and personal care services like barbershops and salons.
“I want to reiterate that we can only progress through the stages if we demonstrate a downward decline in severe cases and meet other criteria,” Little said in a statement. “It is imperative that individuals take personal responsibility by limiting their exposure to others and maintaining good hygiene.”
Illinois
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on May 5 released a five-phase reopening plan that allows some regions to move through the phases faster than others, depending on the rate of new cases and other measures.
“Restore Illinois is a public health plan to safely reintroduce the parts of our lives that have been put on hold in our fight against COVID-19. This is also a data-driven plan that operates on a region-by-region basis, a recognition that reality on the ground looks different in different areas of our state,” Pritzker said in a statement.
His stay-at-home order is in place through the end of May.
Phase two of the plan started May 1 as the order was altered to let some so-called non-essential businesses take customers’ orders and deliver them or have curbside pickup. Phase three could start on May 29.
Restaurants and bars cannot reopen until phase four, which will not start until June 26 or later.
Indiana
Phase two of Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb’s reopening plan started on May 4, except for counties with large numbers of COVID-19 cases.
Retailers and commercial businesses were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity, including any manufacturing companies deemed non-essential.
Holcomb allowed his stay-at-home order to expire on May 1.
The next part of phase two will see personal care businesses such as spas and barbershops reopen on May 11 by appointment only. Restaurants and bars can welcome customers back inside but only at 50 percent capacity.
Phase three is slated for May 24.
Iowa
Dentist offices, campgrounds, drive-in movie theaters, tanning facilities, and spas can reopen on May 8, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday.
Reynolds let restaurants, fitness centers, and retailers in most counties reopen at 50 percent capacity on May 1.
She previously allowed the resumption of elective surgeries and for farmers’ markets to start back up on April 27.
“The reality is that we can’t stop the virus. It will remain in our communities until a vaccine is available. We must learn to live with that, without letting it govern our lives,” Reynolds said in an op-ed.
Kansas
Phase one of reopening will last for at least another two weeks, Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Some businesses were allowed to resume operations on May 4.
Kelly said people should wear face masks or coverings when out and about and follow social distancing guidelines.
A slew of businesses remain closed, including bars, night clubs, non-tribal casinos, theaters, museums, fitness centers, gyms, salons, barbershops, and tattoo parlors.
The businesses, which can reopen in stage two, were not allowed to reopen because close contact “cannot be avoided,” the governor said.
Kentucky
An expanded reopening will take place on May 11, according to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
Manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain companies; construction businesses; pet care, grooming and boarding companies; and photography businesses can resume operations, according to a plan released by the governor’s office.
Office work can restart at 50 percent capacity.
The reopening plan started in late April with dentists, chiropractors, and other medical businesses being allowed to treat people without so-called emergency conditions.
Retailers can reopen and in-person church services can restart on May 20. Barbers and salons can reopen five days later.
Bars, nightclubs, youth activities, and childcare won’t be allowed to reopen or restart until June.
Louisiana
Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said the first phase of reopening will likely start on May 16.
“We simply don’t meet the qualifications to move to Phase 1 yet, but all Louisianans should be hopeful that we will soon,” he said in a statement late last month as he extended his stay-at-home order.
Retailers, personal care businesses, and houses of worship will be allowed to open at 25 percent capacity in phase one. Restaurants may be allowed to reopen but officials haven’t decided as of yet.
State Attorney General Jeff Landry, in a letter sent Tuesday, said the state’s cosmetologists should be allowed to reopen before other businesses, citing their difficulty making money unless they serve their clients.
Stores were allowed to open for curbside delivery and restaurants were allowed to open outside areas for patrons to eat meals without tableside service on May 1.
Maine
Businesses began reopening on May 1, including barbershops, hair salons, golf courses, state parks, auto dealerships, and car washes.
Houses of worship were allowed to hold drive-in services and drive-in movie theaters were allowed to welcome customers.
Phase two of reopening isn’t scheduled until June 1.
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, extended her stay-at-home order to May 31.
The altered order requires everyone in the state who enters a public place where social distancing is hard to maintain wear a mask or face covering.
Maryland
Phase one of reopening will start next week if downward trends in hospitalizations and intensive care patients continue, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said on May 6.
“If these trends continue into next week, we will be ready to lift the stay-at-home order and begin stage one of our recovery plan,” the governor said at a press conference.
He said that certain businesses and community activities deemed lower risk will be allowed to resume.
Hogan last month unveiled a roadmap for recovery that includes details on reopening. Businesses will be put into groupings of low, medium, and high risk, with the low-risk ones being allowed to reopen first.
Ocean City is reopening May 8, town officials said. The beach will be one of the first in the Mid-Atlantic region to reopen.
Outdoor activities like golfing, tennis, and boating can restart on Thursday morning, officials said Wednesday. Public schools, meanwhile, will be closed for the rest of the school year.
Massachusetts
Democratic Gov. Charlie Baker said May 6 he hopes to let some businesses reopen on May 18.
The goal “is to begin reopening certain types of businesses in a limited fashion, where it can be done more safely than under normal operations.”
“But this phased-in process can’t begin until we see sustained downward trends in many of the data elements that we talk about every day,” he said.
Baker formed a reopening advisory board, which will provide a set of recommendations no later than May 18.
Michigan
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended her stay-at-home order through May 15.
The altered order will let construction workers return to work on May 7; landscape companies, nurseries, and bike shops, among others, can also reopen.
Whitmer said May 4 that a wider reopening won’t happen yet, citing the number of new cases the state is seeing on a daily basis.
“We must continue to stay home until at least May 15. We will only loosen when public health and data say it’s safe to do so,” Whitmer said. “If we open up too fast, we will have to go through this pain all over again. let’s not do that. The bottom line is can’t move forward until it’s safe to do so.”
Minnesota
Retailers reopened for curbside pickup on May 4 under Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s altered stay-at-home order, which was extended until May 18.
Up to 30,000 people will be put back to work at stores, according to Walz’s office.
Some businesses reopened last week, primarily in industrial sectors. State officials estimated that as many as 20,000 of those businesses were reopening, with 80,000 to 100,000 Minnesotans going back to work.
Walz said May 4 that there’s no exact date for other businesses to reopen or fully reopen, including salons and restaurants.
Mississippi
Restaurants will be allowed to welcome customers inside on May 7, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said at a press conference.
Salons, barbershops, and some other businesses remain closed.
Reeves let retailers reopen last month but had delayed the second phase of reopening after a spike in CCP virus cases and COVID-19 linked deaths.
Reeves on May 6 urged people whose jobs resume to go back to work.
Missouri
One of the widest reopenings in the country took place on May 4 as every business in the state was allowed to reopen as long as people abided by social distancing requirements, Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, said at a press conference.
The main requirement is keeping 6 feet distance between an individual and people they don’t live with.
“We are successfully flattening the curve,” Parson said. “With the help of all Missourians, our plan is working. The health care system is not overwhelmed and we are winning the battle.”
St. Louis will remain under a stay-at-home order past May 4, Democratic Mayor Lyda Krewson said.
Montana
Restaurants and bars could welcome customers back inside on May 4, another phase of reopening allowed by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.
Bullock let retailers and houses of worship reopen last month.
Students were allowed to return to schools on May 7, pending decisions by local school boards, in one of the earliest planned reopenings of schools in the nation.
Nebraska
RV camping at some state parks will be allowed May 20 but state-designated beach and swimming areas will remain closed, the state Game and Parks Commission said.
“The closure of designated beach and swimming areas managed by the agency was necessitated, in part, by recent incidents involving large gatherings and lack of social distancing at multiple state park venues,” it stated.
Restaurants in some areas of the state restarted dine-in service on May 4. Like most states, occupancy will be limited to 50 percent.
Some other businesses were also allowed reopen by Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, including hair salons and tattoo parlors.
Health-related businesses were allowed to reopen or expand services, such as dental work and veterinary services.
“Just because we are able to relax some measures, does not mean life returns to normal,” Ricketts said at a briefing, urging people to follow social distancing guidelines.
Nevada
Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak extended his stay-at-home order through May 15 but altered restrictions to let retailers start conducting business via curbside pickup and delivery.
The slight relaxation also allows people to engage in outdoor activities like golf and tennis and lets people attend drive-in services at houses of worship.
The downward trajectory of new COVID-19 cases wasn’t sharp enough, Sisolak said in explaining the extension. He plans to let some businesses reopen on May 15 but bars, nightclubs, malls, and some other establishments will remain closed.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board said social distancing must be enforced in casinos when they reopen, including having no more than six players at tables.
New Hampshire
Campgrounds, manufacturing businesses, and state parks reopened on May 1 while hospitals could resume elective procedures on May 4 as Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s stay-at-home order expired.
Retailers, hair salons, golf courses, and barbershops can reopen on May 11.
Restaurants can serve customers at outside tables starting May 18.
New Jersey
Several beaches are set to reopen May 8, including the Wildwoods.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said May 6 that he’s considering letting businesses reopen with strict limitations on service.
“That’s something we want to get to,” he told reporters. “But you look at the progress we’re making, that’s because people are staying home. They’re not going out. And that’s the sort of still guiding principle here.”
Murphy on Monday said schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year.
Murphy has eased a few restrictions, allowing state parks, golf courses, and county parks to reopen.
The governor recently released a six-point plan aimed at reopening but his stay-at-home order will remain in effect “until further notice,” with no modifications until some conditions are met, including a sustained drop in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over two weeks.
New Mexico
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday that so-called essential workers in grocery stores and restaurants, among other businesses, will be required to wear masks while working.
Grisham previously let retailers open for curbside pickup and delivery. Restaurants have remained open, though dine-in service has been barred.
Grisham’s altered stay-at-home order also allowed gun stores to reopen for sales by appointment, pet service businesses and golf courses to welcome customers, and state parks to reopen for day use.
She previously extended her stay-at-home order through “at least” May 15.
But if things go well, the governor plans to let restaurants, gyms, salons, and some other establishments begin to reopen as soon as the middle of May.
New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on May 4 unveiled a four-phase reopening plan that would first have construction, manufacturing, and parts of the supply chain that deal in wholesale resume operations.
Some retailers will be allowed to reopen in phase one with curbside pickup.
Cuomo hasn’t committed to a reopening date but state officials are targeting May 15 for some counties that have a low number of cases.
“Re-opening is not going to happen statewide all at once—New York has diverse regions and those regions have different circumstances, so rather than wait for the whole state to be ready to reopen we are going to analyze the situation on a regional basis,” the governor said at a press conference.
North Carolina
Retail stores deemed non-essential, such as clothing and sporting good stores, will be allowed to welcome customers inside on Friday, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said on May 5.
“We have to keep taking precautions to keep people safe, but at the same time, we know we can’t stay at home forever,” Cooper said at a press conference.
Childcare services will be allowed to resume operations but only for children of parents who are working or looking for work.
Summer day camps can start but overnight ones cannot.
Phase two, slated for two or three weeks later, would see a limited reopening of restaurants and bars to inside service and the reopening of public playgrounds.
Further reopening would be at least one month down the road.
North Dakota
Restaurants, gyms, and personal care businesses were allowed to reopen on May 1.
Restaurants must limit occupancy to 50 percent of normal capacity, allow 6 feet of spacing between groups, and limit 10 people per table, according to guidance from the state government.
Other workplaces also face social distancing restrictions.
Guidelines for recreation centers, athletic centers, music venues, and theaters will be issued soon, according to Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican.
Ohio
Manufacturing, construction, and distribution businesses were allowed to reopen on May 4, along with some office work, under an altered stay-at-home mandate from Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.
The order was extended through May 29 after previously being set to expire on May 1.
Medical providers like dentists were allowed to resume non-essential surgeries last week.
Retailers can reopen on May 12.
Gyms, salons, daycares, and restaurants don’t have a slated reopening date. DeWine plans to announce reopening plans for those businesses on Thursday.
Oklahoma
Phase two of reopening will likely start on May 15, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt said on May 6.
Phase one started last month with the reopening of barbershops and other personal care businesses.
Restaurants, malls, and other stores began reopening on May 1.
Phase two will see nonessential travel resume as well as the resumption of organized sports.
Bars will be allowed to operate with limited occupancy and funerals and weddings can happen again.
Oregon
Some state parks began reopening on May 5, while ski resorts will be allowed to reopen soon under an executive order Democratic Gov. Kate Brown plans to release soon.
Brown announced previously that some counties can begin reopening as soon as May 15. She planned to release further details on Thursday.
Counties must meet criteria including having a contact tracing program in place and a declining number of COVID-19 cases if they have more than five cases in total.
“I want to be clear that we will not be able to open Oregon quickly, or in one fell swoop,” Brown said at a press conference. “This process will happen more slowly than any of us would like.”
Pennsylvania
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on May 6 said the state is creating a public service initiative called the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps. The group is focusing on efforts to test residents for the CCP virus and trace contacts of those who test positive.
“The Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps will serve as a public service program that will expand our ability to conduct contact tracing and testing and mobilize Pennsylvanians to contain COVID-19,” he said in a statement.
Wolf said a day prior that he would announce reopening plans for the southwest region of the state soon. There is no schedule to reopen southcentral Pennsylvania.
Wolf previously said 24 counties can reopen starting May 8, nearly two months after he issued a stay-at-home order.
The counties all moved from the red phase to the yellow phase outlined in Wolf’s reopening plan. The movement came because of low per-capita case counts, the ability to conduct contact tracing and testing, and appropriate population density to contain community spread, according to Wolf’s office.
Wolf has let golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips, and privately owned campgrounds reopen statewide.
Rhode Island
Residents must wear a mask or face covering in indoor and outdoor public places, Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo said May 5. The order goes into effect Friday.
Phase one of reopening, slated for May 9, will include outdoor shopping centers, Raimondo said.
Some limitations will remain in place. Indoor shopping centers must remain closed, along with some businesses, and a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people won’t be changed.
Employers will have to screen employees and send those who are sick home. They must also require workers to wear face masks if social distancing cannot be ensured.
Beaches and restaurants will not reopen until the second phase of the plan, which has not been set.
Raimondo on May 1 reopened state parks.
South Carolina
A decision on reopening salons and dine-in eating will come “soon,” Republican Gov. Henry McMaster said May 5.
Restaurants throughout the state were allowed to provide outdoor service on top of the takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery services they were already providing when McMaster lifted his stay-at-home order on Monday.
Some businesses began reopening on April 20, one of the earliest reopenings in the nation.
People considered most at risk of getting serious cases of the CCP virus were strongly urged to continue staying at home except for so-called essential trips.
Most beaches in the state are open again.
South Dakota
Any business that wanted to could reopen, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem announced in late April.
The state issued guidance on occupancy limits and employee screenings.
Schools were allowed to host small groups of students to “check in” with them before the end of the school year.
“The plan I am unveiling today continues to put the power of decision-making into the hands of the people—where it belongs. Today’s plan relies on South Dakotans continuing to exercise common sense, reasonableness, innovation, and a commitment to themselves, their families, and—in turn—their communities,” Noem said in a statement.
Tennessee
Bowling alleys, golf facilities, and other similar businesses can resume operation on Friday, Republican Gov. Bill Lee said May 5.
The vast majority of businesses in most areas of the state were allowed to reopen on May 1 as Lee let his stay at home order expire.
Salons and barbershops were allowed to reopen on May 6.
Some counties were keeping businesses closed, including Davidson County, which includes Nashville.
“The most important thing to me is that people can get back to work and businesses can begin to reopen,” Lee told reporters last week.
“The economic difficulty that’s been created by this, it has been devastating to our state, and the sooner we can begin to change that picture, the better.”
Texas
Salons, barbers, and tanning businesses can reopen on May 8, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday.
Gyms and bars can reopen as soon as May 18.
Abbott previously let restaurants, malls, movie theaters, and retailers reopen and serve customers inside their buildings.
Abbott’s stay-at-home order expired on April 30.
Utah
Restaurants started serving customers inside stores on May 1. Gyms, salons, and some other establishments were also allowed to reopen.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert also loosened restrictions to allow gatherings of up to 20 people.
“This is a good news day for us today, as we transition from red to orange. And it only happens because of the spirit of collaboration and cooperation, which we have uniquely so in the state of Utah, the public-private partnerships, everybody working together,” Herbert said at a press conference.
Some national parks in the state planned to reopen for day use starting Tuesday, including Capitol Reef National Park.
Vermont
Golf courses, tennis courts, and other outside recreation facilities can reopen Thursday, Republican Gov. Phil Scott announced on May 6.
Gatherings of up to 10 people will also be allowed. Elderly people shouldn’t attend those gatherings.
Construction, distribution, and transportation companies with fewer than 10 people were allowed to resume operations on May 4.
Scott let “low-contact” businesses reopen last month if they had no more than two staff members.
The businesses can return to full operations on May 11.
Elective care procedures have been allowed to resume.
Virginia
Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam on May 4 extended his stay at home order through May 14, but said he hopes to enter phase one of his reopening plan on May 15.
Northam announced a three-phase plan. The first phase would include easing limits on businesses and houses of worship. Most workers will be asked to work at home if possible.
Companies will be told to establish policies to keep employees and customers physically separated while avoiding conferences, trade shows, and other large gatherings. Employees may have to wear masks at work. Disinfecting should be stepped up.
Phase one will last up to four weeks or even longer, according to state officials. Phases two and three are projected to last about three weeks each.
Washington
Car dealerships, car washes, and mobile pet services were allowed to resume operation on May 5 under Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s altered stay-at-home order, which runs through the end of the month.
Hunting, fishing, golf, boating, and hiking are also now allowed.
Inslee said last week that smaller counties can apply to his administration to reopen faster than counties that have been hit harder by the CCP virus.
Phase two will see any manufacturing businesses that were forced to close reopen as well as letting all other construction companies, domestic services, retailers, and real estate companies resume operations.
Personal care services like barbershops can also resume operations while restaurants can welcome customers back inside with capacity limits.
West Virginia
Officials are assessing statistics in the coming days “to see how things play out” before continuing in the reopening plan, virus response coordinator Clay Marsh told reporters on May 5.
Reopening started on May 4 under Republican Gov. Jim Justice’s plan.
Restaurants started offering outdoor dining service that day and small businesses with fewer than 10 employees were authorized to reopen.
Hospitals were allowed to resume elective procedures in April.
More businesses were told they can reopen on May 11, including offices, gyms, and casinos.
Wisconsin
The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by state lawmakers against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Andrea Palm, the state Department of Health secretary, over continued shutdown of the state.
“Isn’t it the very definition of tyranny for one person to order people to be imprisoned for going to work among other ordinarily lawful activities?” Justice Rebecca Bradley said.
Evers has said he won’t relax most restrictions until Wisconsin sees a downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses and COVID-19 symptoms reported within a 14-day period, and a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period.
The governor issued an order last month relaxing a few restrictions, letting some so-called nonessential businesses like pet groomers and repair shops offer curbside drop-offs and pickups.
Dozens of state parks and forests reopened on May 1.
Wyoming
Some counties got approval from the state for further reopening, including dine-in service in Washakie County and outdoor dining in Sheridan County.
Gyms, barbershops, salons, and tattoo parlors started reopening on May 1 under public health orders from Republican Gov. Mark Gordon.
“These new orders start our process of getting this part of Wyoming’s economy up and running again,” Gordon said in a statement.
Daycares also welcomed children back while hospitals resumed elective surgeries.
An order limiting public gatherings to no more than nine people was extended through mid-May while state campgrounds won’t be open until May 15.
From The Epoch Times