California to allow some retailers to reopen as state scales up contact tracing program

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced on Monday that some retail businesses will be permitted to reopen this week as part of a phase two easing of coronavirus restrictions, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The state of play: Under new guidelines, which were released in more detail Thursday, Newsom said bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists, sporting goods retailers and more can reopen for pickup Friday. Retail manufacturers will also be allowed to resume production.

• Offices, restaurants with seated dining and shopping malls will continue to remain closed.
• Warehouses are expected to carry sanitation materials during deliveries and use PPE for each stop.
• The governor also said some California counties will be allowed to ease their social distancing rules if they demonstrate an ability to implement strong sanitation practices, in addition to meeting requirements for hospital beds, testing capacity and contact tracing.
• "We will allow additional movement through phase two, and that includes the prospect of restaurants with modifications opening, hospitality more broadly opening, again, with modification," Newsom added.

What to watch: Newsom said that the state government is working with University of California campuses in San Francisco and Los Angeles to recruit and train as many as 3,000 people per week to be deployed as contact tracers. California has a goal of training up to 20,000 tracers in the weeks ahead.

By the numbers: California has reported 55,644 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 2,254 deaths, per Johns Hopkins.

Go deeper: Contact tracing is the next big hurdle in the push to reopen cities