Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials on Tuesday outlined a comprehensive process the state of California is working on that will lead to the gradual reopening of businesses, schools and other social settings.

Newsom said he's not ready to announce a timetable for a loosening of stay-at-home and other restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he might be able to by the beginning of May.

"Science, not politics, must be the guide," Newsom said, noting that 758 Californians have died so far from the novel coronavirus, an increase of 71 since Monday.

Senior Health Office Dr. Sonia Angel said the gradual loosening of stay-at-home restrictions is "not about going back to where we were before."

She said, for example, "restaurants will be allowed to open, but perhaps they have fewer tables. Face coverings will likely be common in public."

Newsom added that individuals' temperatures might need to be checked before entering a place of business and schools may need to stagger class times so fewer students congregate at once.

Before the restrictions can be modified, Newsom said the state will need to see a continued decline in the number of hospitalizations; a continued decline in the number of patients in ICU beds; and a continued decline in the number of positive cases of COVID-19.

"There's no light switch here," he said. "It's more like a dimmer."

The state also will need to have the capacity to expand testing for COVID-19 so health officials can appropriately track any potential surges of the virus.

"How prepared is our state is to test everyone who is symptomatic?" Angel asked, as an example.

The state also aims to make sure it is maintaining protections for its most vulnerable residents, including seniors who live at home and in senior living facilities; those with immune disorders, and the homeless.

Newsom said hospitals and other health care facilities will need to be prepared for any new surges including have enough personal protective equipment, ventilators, and staffing.

State and health care officials also need to continue to engage academia, research partners, hospital systems and others to promote the development of therapeutics that have shown signs of successfully treating COVID-19; and to develop a vaccine within the next year.

These new therapeutics will "allow people if they do get sick to recover more quickly," Angel said.

The state also is working on new guidelines for physical distancing at businesses, schools, and other public gathering spots once stay-at-home restrictions are loosened.

Finally, the state needs to be ready to reinstate more vigorous controls as necessary, if new surges of cases are seen.

"That's a process that would be the most challenging ... as we toggle from stricter to looser" restrictions, Newsom said.

At his Monday briefing, said that he, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington and Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon started holding conversations last week about "what it would look like and how we could begin the process of the incremental" reopening of the economy but also keeping people safe.