Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday laid out meticulous guidelines for when California could start considering reopening the state, cautioning that residents should not get complacent and think the threat of COVID-19 has passed.

Newsom said he won’t loosen the state’s mandatory, stay-at-home order until hospitalizations, particularly those in intensive care units, “flatten and start to decline.” And he says the state will need more testing, treatments and the ability for businesses, schools and childcare facilities to continue the physical distancing that has come to dominate public life.

“Let’s not make the mistake of pulling the plug too early, as much as we all want to,” Newsom said.

The governor cautioned that when things reopen, they won’t be the same. Restaurants will have fewer tables and waiters will wear gloves and masks. Thermometers will be common in public spaces, as will masks and other protective gear. Schools could stagger arrival times of students to enforce physical distancing.

Newsom said he couldn’t give a timeline on when restrictions could be loosened. He told reporters to ask again in two weeks. He also cautioned they won’t be lifted all at once and could snap back into place if needed.

“There’s no light switch here,” he said. “I would argue it’s more like a dimmer.”

Newsom laid out six parameters that state and local governments must have in place before they can consider pulling back rules, including:

• Having the capacity to expand testing and contact tracing to pinpoint and stop resurgences of the coronavirus
• Having the ability to protect those most vulnerable to the virus, primarily seniors and those with compromised immune systems and homeless people
• The proper infrastructure to meet the needs of potential surges in hospitals, including having enough personal protective equipment for healthcare workers
• Continuing to work with academics and researchers to find therapeutic solutions and ideally a vaccine
• Redrawing floor plans to be able to practice safe physical distancing in businesses, schools and other venues
• Maintain the ability to reinstate more vigorous rules, if needed, toggling from stricter to looser restrictions

The worst-case scenarios of overflowing hospitals have so far not come to pass in California, something Newsom said is because of people obeying the stay-at-home order, which has been in effect since March 19.

At Tuesday’s news conference, Newsom announced that ICU hospitalizations were mostly flat, declining 0.1% on Monday. But the state reported 71 deaths, the highest single day total since the outbreak began.

In Los Angeles County, officials announced 40 new deaths Tuesday, the highest single-day total so far. The county also reported 670 new cases, for a total of 10,047 cases and 360 deaths.

Despite the statewide framework he laid out, Newsom acknowledged that much of the decision-making will take place on the county and city level where local health departments have their own orders in place.

In LA County, public health director Barbara Ferrer said restrictions won’t be rolled back until safeguards are in place.

”We don’t want to lose ground,” she said.

For now, she urged everyone to continue staying home, practicing physical distancing and wearing masks when they go into public.

“I don’t have a timeline or a date, similar to the governor,” she said. “I think the next couple of weeks are critical. I think every week is critical.”

In Long Beach, Mayor Robert Garcia said the governor’s framework was excellent. “Long Beach will be a partner with the state and our decisions will be based on science and data,” he tweeted.

Even if the sweeping public health orders are loosened, many restrictions will likely remain.

“Normal it will not be, at least until we have herd immunity and we have a vaccine,” Newsom said.

He noted that even if everything proceeds on schedule, the prospect of having any mass gatherings is “negligible at best” until that immunity or vaccine are in place.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.