Fresno Mayor Lee Brand has been holding press conferences via Zoom since the shelter-in-place order. Screen shot of the meeting.

Mayor Lee Brand announced over a Zoom video conference today that the city’s “shelter in place” order has been extended with until May 31. And businesses hoping to reopen need to have plans in place showing they can follow social distancing guidelines.

The previous “shelter in place” order was to expire on May 6, but the modified order will allow for the phased reopening of businesses that had to temporarily shut down in March because of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

“[The new order] provides an innovative process to safely phase reopening of businesses that were forced to close in March in ways that maximize the safety of our employees, customers, and the public health of our community,” Brand said.

The first phases of reopening will be for businesses that are considered “low” and “lower risk” for spreading Covid-19 with the Fresno Recovery Committee making recommendations to the city manager for which businesses to open. That list of industries will be announced next week, Brand said.

The City’s Recovery Committee has been meeting to determine which specific industries are ready to open. Once the decision has been made which industries can open — such as furniture stores or auto dealers — specific businesses would have to demonstrate to the City of Fresno’s Code Enforcement Department that they have plans in place to execute social distancing requirements. Brand said the City has the capability of processing as many as 1,500 reviews a week.

Each phase of reopening will be re-evaluated after two weeks of operation to analyze the impacts on public health indicators and phases might have to be rolled back if community impact worsens.

The city will also be requiring residents to wear masks in public, but Brand did not say that people would be cited for going on walks without a mask. In order to protect workers, people will also be required to wear masks while shopping.

“I’m taking a strategic approach that protects the health and safety of our community while at the same time recognizes the overwhelming need to restart our economy by gradually allowing low and lower-risk businesses to re-open following public health guidelines,” said Mayor Brand. “I appreciate the sacrifices that our residents and business owners have made during these challenging and uncertain times, and while we are still navigating uncharted waters, it’s time to lay out a sensible new course that starts the long process of rebuilding our economy and restoring our normal routines.”