Fresno County asks to move further into Phase 2 of state's reopening plans

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Department of Public Health is asking the Governor and State Officer to let them move further in to phase two of reopening.

During an update today, officials discussed a request to allow restaurants to open for dine-in services. The Fresno County Department of Public Health is asking the state to let the county move further into phase two.

"I do feel confident that our restaurants sector can perform to the standards that are being set out," said Dr. Rais Vohra with Fresno County.

Dr. Vohra says a letter was sent to the State Officer and governor's offices this week. The contents ask state officials to ease restrictions on restaurant dine-in services.

"We would like to advocate on behalf of our restaurants and some of the other sectors that depend on and supply our restaurants," he said.

Earlier this week Governor Gavin Newsom announced new regulations that would help guide counties towards reopening, schools, dine-in services and malls.

To do so, they need to meet certain criteria. This includes having no more than one new COVID-19 case per 10,000 residents in the past 14 days, and they also can't have any deaths in the last 14 days.

Fresno County has not been able to move forward.

"A couple of those metrics, the way that they have been set out, have disqualified us from moving into the later phase two variants," Dr. Vohra said.

Currently, an estimated 2,200 restaurants are operating across the county through take-out, but for many, it's barely enough to stay afloat.

Vohra says they have already received a response to their letter from the State Officer, but don't know what they will say about the request until Monday.

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