The herd is out on our beaches.  Governor Newsom isn’t happy about that so watch out or you will be in for the duration. 

We shopped at Costco yesterday with hundreds of other people and dozens of employees.  Sure the building is big and we were social distancing sort of. Well there are spots on the floor in front of the registers indicating where to stand to be safe. Passing in an aisle is another matter and we get closer than the official 6 feet.  Everyone was obeying the sign that required masks to shop.  While selecting just the right bunch of bananas a bunch of bunches get handled.  Squeeze the avocados? Thump a watermelon?  

Cindy went to Walmart while I stood in line to get into Costco.  She said you could walk right in, no lines, and the shelves were mostly stocked and there were lots of people.  No toilet paper at either store so we went to Stater Bros. and bought a package-one per family. Their meat cases were well stocked and we picked up a roast. Costco was short of cases of canned goods like mushrooms and soup and string beans but otherwise, we found what we needed.

The media wails that food will be getting scarce and President Trump is pushing meatpacking plants to continue operating.  Car manufacturers set May 18 to start up production.  Sports facilities are projecting to be open for training, California whispers that schools might start-up in July. And beachgoers are panting in heat, uncommon heat for April.  

Governor Newsom, time to set openings where non-essentials will become essential if only to provide wages to those shut-in with little “rainy day” resources. 

UPDATE: So He did-set some guidelines on Tuesday while I was writing the herd at beaches above but he emphasized that he won’t bend to activist pressing to open sooner. 

• We’re still in Stage 1, said Dr. Sonia Angell, the state’s head of public health. That means government and private organizations are working to make it more consistently safe for essential workers, like grocery store employees or nurses. Those workers need more protective equipment and a more robust testing and tracing system.
• Stage 2 will be when some lower-risk businesses and public spaces can reopen, also with modifications to allow for distancing. Those include workplaces like factories, with more spaced-out work stations, or nongrocery retail stores, but with curbside pickup. Schools and child care facilities would also be reopened during this phase. Dr. Angell added that workers must have enough of a financial safety net — including paid sick days — to take time off if they have Covid-19.
• Stage 3 will be when higher-risk businesses will be able to reopen — again, with modifications. This includes nail and hair salons, gyms, movie theaters and sports without live audiences, as well as in-person religious services.
• Stage 4 will be the end of the state’s stay-at-home order. That will be when concerts, conventions and sports with a live crowd will be allowed to reopen.

Seriously, more people need immediate access to work and pay-the severity numbers don’t justify the shut in.  Let’s get back to work so.  We need to be in Stage 2 now!