Robert Blackmon outlines 5-step plan for reopening Pinellas County

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St. Petersburg City Council member Robert Blackmon developed a five-stage plan for reopening the local economy with “trigger points” to determine when to initiate each stage.

Blackmon suggests implementing the plan May 15.

“In the process of constructing this plan, I consulted with business owners, stakeholders, and medical professionals, both in our community and nationwide,” Blackmon wrote on Facebook.

“This collaborative community plan incentivizes businesses owners, employees and patrons to self-police to promote a healthy path forward.”

The first stage would allow all non-essential retail businesses to open on a “one-in, one-out” basis, but would exclude bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues and any event facility with a capacity of more than 50.

Essential businesses would be able to fully reopen with mandatory social distancing, except for in restaurants.

By the second stage, public closures would be lifted, with social distancing measures still in place, followed by the third phase, which would lift social distancing restrictions on essential businesses and the one-in, one-out guideline for non-essential businesses, though they still would be required to enforce social distancing.

Stage three would also allow offices to reopen.

Stage four would lift social distancing restrictions on public spaces and non-essential businesses. Bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues with 50 or fewer occupancy could reopen. Recommendations for wearing masks and physical distancing for healthy individuals would also be lifted.

Stage five would complete the process with schools, sporting events and large gatherings fully permitted and social distancing eased for all individuals, including those who are elderly or immunocompromised.

Blackmon established a list of trends to reach before moving from one stage to the next, including a 14-day minimum wait period between.

There would have to be three consecutive days without an increase in coronavirus cases, 85% or lower countywide hospital occupancy, universal diagnostic or antibody testing for health care workers and first responders, on-demand public testing and fewer than 10% positive test rate for at least 14-days.

Blackmon also established trigger points reverse a phase including 20% or more positive test rate among health care workers, more than 20% total positive test rate over 14-days or when ICU bed capacity is exhausted or there’s a more than three times jump in Pinellas cases week-over-week.

“We need a process based on clear, objective criteria that we all know and can plan around, not arbitrary dates set by elected officials,” Blackmon said. “If we determine that we are proceeding safely based on clear, measurable, data-driven criteria, re-opening should continue without delay.”