41 States Have Reopened or Are Reopening Soon

Harris Little washes Matt Kim's hair at 2Qute Hair Salon in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 27, 2020. Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

Three governors on Friday announced reopening plans, joining 38 others who have let some businesses reopen or are planning to soon.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said retailers, barbers, salons, and golf courses can reopen on May 11, with further easing planned on May 18; Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said some counties can begin reopening as soon as May 15; and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb told reporters that retailers and commercial businesses can reopen with 50 percent capacity on May 4.

That makes 41 states that have already started reopening or will start soon from the near-total economic lockdown implemented to try to slow the spread of the CCP virus, according to an Epoch Times tally.

The following states have already started reopening: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Vermont.

Another 19 governors are planning to ease restrictions in the coming days, including Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.

Brick House Salon co-owner Casey Aviles cleans up her station as she prepares to open for business later this week in Greeley, Colorado, on April 28, 2020. Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

The governors in that category have either firmed up the first phase of reopening in their states or outlined plans to have the states start to reopen on a certain date.

The other states with planned reopenings on May 4 or later are Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Oregon, West Virginia.

Letting retailers reopen but restricting them to curbside pickup and delivery isn’t counted as easing restrictions in the tally.

Some of the states still have most restrictions in place.

The nine other governors are resisting calls to start relaxing their orders relating to businesses.

A business proprietor stands in front of his store in the Lower East Side neighborhood in New York City on April 30, 2020. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

California Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t loosened any restrictions and tightened up ones on beaches, ordering Orange County beaches closed. Delaware Gov. John Carney, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam—who originally issued the lengthiest stay-at-home order in the nation—have said their states need to see two weeks of declining symptoms and presumed positive COVID-19 cases, citing federal guidelines.

All three could be weeks away from starting to reopen.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus from China that causes COVID-19.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers let a small number of businesses reopen for delivery and pickup but most businesses remain closed. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker extended his stay-at-home order to May 18. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said, but not committed to, a May 15 reopening for some upstate counties.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday extended his stay-at-home order through May 31. The altered order loosens few restrictions.