San Diego businesses get big boost after California rolls back mask mandate

Businesses in downtown San Diego got a boost of foot traffic during the first weekend after California Gov. Gavin Newsom loosened the state’s mask mandate, according to a local report.

Those who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus are no longer required to mask up indoors, while those still unvaccinated are required to wear masks inside, according to the updated guidelines. 

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Restaurant and shop owners in the Gaslamp Quarters told FOX5 San Diego that the downtown district looked "vibrant and alive" for the first time in two months.

"I see people walking around the Gaslamp like [Saturday] where someone is turning, passing my door every 10 seconds and that’s what we like to see," Jesse Kolly, store manager at Sole Concepts, told the station.

Sara Arjmand, director of marketing at Greystone Steakhouse, said the restaurant saw a 25% increase in business and described downtown as "lively" as soon as the mandate was relaxed.

California became the first state to formally shift to an "endemic" approach to the coronavirus with Newsom's announcement Thursday of a plan that emphasizes prevention and quick reaction to outbreaks over mandated masking and business shutdowns.

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California’s health secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said one of the goals is to avoid business closures and other far-reaching mandates. 

Other state and city leaders across the country last week announced rollbacks of masking requirements, including Washington state, Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.

Mask mandates were also recently lifted in Nevada and New Mexico.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.