California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued renewed guidance instructing that the state’s construction sites can remain open for the time being as long as social distancing guidelines are being followed. 

Politico reports that Newsom reiterated his intention to keep the state’s construction workforce active through the crisis so that these essential workers can continue to support efforts to respond to the pandemic. During the press conference, Newsom stated, “We’re not New York ... and we’re going to do everything we can to bend our curve,” adding, “We're not naive about the magnitude of our challenge ahead of us. But currently, I'm satisfied with those state directives,” Politico reports.

The guidance comes as several San Francisco Bay Area cities move to further restrict commercial and residential construction activities in the region as part of “shelter-in-place” initiatives. In his speech, Newsom voiced support for allowing local municipalities to go beyond the state’s guidance. 

California’s efforts to correctly calibrate social distancing directives through extensive dialogue with the state’s various trades unions and other organizations come as other states, including New York and Pennsylvania, have taken a more one-size-fits-all approach. 

New York shut down all “non-essential” construction last week, while the Pennsylvania construction industry is working to have a special exception carved out for their work amid the state’s strict shutdown. In Boston, most construction projects have been totally stopped, as well. 

Most states, however, have allowed at least some construction work to continue, but because federal response to the crisis has been slow and disorganized, policies and the degree to which construction workers and the public are protected from the spread of the coronavirus through construction sites vary widely from place to place.