The United States' West Coast governors said Monday they're working on a joint plan to reopen their states' economies once it becomes safe to lift restrictions put in place to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, all Democrats, said in a joint statement that the states have agreed work on a strategy that "identifies clear indicators for communities to restart public life and business," reports The Hill.
“COVID-19 has preyed upon our interconnectedness. In the coming weeks, the West Coast will flip the script on COVID-19 – with our states acting in close coordination and collaboration to ensure the virus can never spread wildly in our communities,” the statement also said.
The announcement comes as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he wishes to jump-start the economy in a "collaborated way" with governors from Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
The West Coast plan addresses vulnerable populations at places like nursing homes and builds up the region's hospital surge capacities. It will also address how the virus has hit people in disadvantaged communities and creates a system for testing, tracking, and isolating patients.
“It will take every level of government, working together, and a full picture of what’s happening on the ground," the governors said. "COVID-19 doesn’t follow state or national boundaries."
State-specific plans will also be developed. The states were some of the first in the nation to impose social distancing measures, and leaders are strongly encouraging that the guidelines continue for some time.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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