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The stay-at-home rules that expire Sunday in Ventura County will be extended until May 15 to curb spread of the coronavirus, county officials said Tuesday.

A new public health order will incorporate elements of a series of orders that have restricted travel, closed businesses and required people to stay at home over the past month. But the terms will be lightened, managers told the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

The officials did not specify the terms, but said the document will likely be issued by Friday at the latest.

"We will in small, little ways be liberalizing things," Dr. Robert Levin, the county's public health officer, told the board.

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Officials will be following Gov. Gavin Newsom's lead in planning major changes that will be made to the county's public health orders, Levin said. But in a televised address at noon Tuesday, the governor called for sticking to the stay-at-home requirements for now.

"Let's not make the mistake of pulling the plug too quickly," Newsom said.

The shutdown has affected a large portion of the economy in California and Ventura County, where experts predict that local unemployment rates could reach 15 to 30%. But public health experts say the effort has curbed the number of cases and deaths.

Newsom said he could not say when some of the stay-at-home orders would be lifted, adding that it depended on progress in six areas.

He's looking for success in testing people for the virus, tracing their contacts, and isolating and supporting infected people; preventing infection in people at risk for severe illness; the ability of hospitals and health systems to handle surges in caseload; the development of effective treatments; redesign of space in businesses, schools and child-care facilities to support physical distancing; and a fallback plan to reinstitute restrictive measures if needed once the orders are relaxed.

He provided no timeline for reopening businesses, but did say this school year is over for all intents and purposes.

As of Monday, public health reports showed that 317 Ventura County residents had tested positive for the virus. Ten deaths have been reported, but officials said more deaths were expected to be reported later Tuesday. The number of cases will go up by double digits, Public Health Director Rigoberto Vargas told the board.

Levin said the social distancing requirements followed by Ventura County residents have limited the spread of the disease locally. But it could take 10 to 12 months to return to normal life, he said.

County Executive Officer Mike Powers said the restrictions have curbed the number of cases, but that the county needs to develop a plan and path for reopening. "In this new order it might make sense to lighten some areas," he told the board.

Looking ahead, he said a big emphasis would be on developing ways to test more people, track their contacts and isolate infected people. The county's public health laboratory has doubled its capacity from 100 tests a day to 200 tests, officials said.

Before rolling back the restrictions, Levin is looking for a reduction in cases for 14 days, widespread testing, sufficient capacity to treat cases in hospitals and active monitoring of cases and contacts. He hopes to lift physical distancing carefully, provide increased surveillance for new cases, allow most schools and businesses to reopen and control the disease, he said.

Newsom said California was entering an "optimistic phase" in which the state would move from a surge in cases to suppression. Ultimately, the hope is that a large proportion of the population will become immune to the disease, stopping it from spreading, and that a vaccine will become available in perhaps 18 months.

California Public Health Director Sonia Angell said living conditions will be modified to the point where the virus is no longer a threat, but that life will not return to the way it was. Restaurants are likely to reopen but with fewer tables, she said, and face coverings will likely be common in public.

Kathleen Wilson covers the Ventura County government, including the county health system, politics and social services. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.