Confusion in Orange County over whether or not businesses are allowed to open
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Confusion in Orange County tonight. Are businesses allowed to open or aren’t they?
It depends on who you ask and who might be looking the other way. Governor Gavin Newsom says it’s still too early.
RELATED: The OC Board of Supervisors vote unanimously on safety guidelines required to reopen businesses
Just yesterday, Orange County set a record single-day high with nearly 180 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.
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Supervisor Don Wagner’s stance is that he wants to see fairness across the board. He says if someone can buy a pair of shoes at Target, they should be able to buy a pair at a mom and pop shoe store that’s currently closed.
Meanwhile, some small businesses say they’ve had enough and need to survive. Owner of Salon 29:11 in Tustin, Tami Fleming sanitizes, sweeps, and sprays after each client.
She’s kept her hair salon open during the pandemic, even though she’s immunosuppressed and her daughter is an ER Nurse because she says her business depends on it.
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“When I’m shampooing hair, I’ve always stood back, I don’t breathe in people’s face,” says Fleming.
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner says if businesses can follow safety guidelines, they should reopen.
“We believe in Orange County, it would be appropriate today to open a restaurant on the pier,” says Supervisor Wagner.
“If you can satisfy the ‘shalls’ in the orders, I believe you are, under the governor’s orders, able to open,” Wagner said.
But he says the governor has the final say. “I laid out in very detailed terms yesterday, the strategy for California to make meaningful changes to our stay-at-home order,” says Governor Newsom during his daily news conference.
“Orange County has the fourth-highest number of people of all 58 counties, hospitalized in the state of California. I’m concerned about that.
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”Governor Newsom says we have a lot of work to do to keep people safe and we need to let health experts and the data determine the decision-making.“If they can comply, I believe, at least if they’re following Orange County guidelines, Orange County is not going to hassle you,” says Supervisor Wagner.
“It’s up to the governor if he’s going to send the CHP or the militia down to shut you down.”I can assure you that clarity will come in a very short period of time,” says Governor Newsom.
Meanwhile, Fleming plans to keep cutting hair. “At this point, we have to just let the cards fall where they may. Otherwise, we’re all going to be in trouble. ”
The Supervisor says when businesses do reopen, they have to be able to ensure they can follow safety guidelines – staying six-feet apart, sanitizing regularly, and wearing face coverings to keep customers and employees safe.