Still confused about which nonessential businesses can reopen under Gov. David Ige’s latest proclamation?
Here are the official rules. The following types of nonessential businesses were allowed to reopen Thursday, with the caveats stated below:
• Agriculture (non-food), such as landscape, ornamental plant growers and nurseries
• Auto dealerships, new and used
Specific guidelines:
• Auto dealerships can conduct business in person by appointment only. Buyer groups must maintain physical distancing of 6 feet or greater between customers and employees while visiting the facility.
• Capacity limits should be enforced in showrooms depending on size of showroom (e.g., only 10 people at a time).
• Auto dealerships are encouraged to have hand sanitizer and easily accessible hand washing stations on site for employees and customers.
• Test drives should be less than 10 minutes and cars should be disinfected before and after each employee or customer use. During test drives, employees and customers should wear face coverings.
• Car washes
Specific guidelines:
• Customers should remain inside their vehicles at all times.
• Car washes should limit the number of employees in the facility at one time to allow for safe physical distancing practices.
• Businesses should close vacuum areas to prevent employee/customer contact.
• Drying towels should be washed before being shared between employees, and should not be made available to customers.
• Pet grooming services
Specific guidelines:
• Customers can visit by appointment only and should wait outside the facility (e.g., in cars) until employees are ready to work with them and while services are being rendered.
• Wherever possible, disposable equipment should be used. If not possible, wash and disinfect equipment (including entire workstation area, surfaces, etc.) between each customer use.
• Employees should wash hands before and after every customer appointment, wear disposable gloves and change gloves frequently.
• Observatories and support facilities
Specific guidelines:
• When visitors are at the site, they are encouraged to avoid touching surfaces.
• Cancel or postpone all gatherings of more than 10 people (including classes or meetings).
• If using shared equipment (e.g., telescopes, computers), clean and disinfect equipment after each visitor or employee use.
• Offices should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and employees should maximize physical distancing while in the office (e.g., through capacity limits or reconfigured desks).
• Retail and repair services, such as apparel, florists, watch repair, surfboard repair (fitting rooms must remain closed)
• Shopping malls, limited to retail and repair services
The following shall remain closed: Food court dining areas (except for delivery or takeout), play areas, entertainment areas, common areas (except to access and depart from a retail business), arcades and game rooms.
Specific guidelines:
• Guidance for food courts: Food courts should be limited to delivery or takeout only. While waiting in line at food establishments, customers should practice physical distancing with floor markings instructing them where to stand. Food court areas should be closed off from the rest of the mall (e.g., with rope) and have one designated entrance if possible. Designated staff should be at the entrance at all times enforcing capacity limits and ensuring customers have enough personal space to allow for physical distancing. Eliminate use of trays or disinfect between customers.
• Guidance for outdoor malls: Businesses should practice all guidance above, limit physical distance between employees and customers and implement floor markings instructing customers to follow one way pathways to allow for physical distancing while walking. If possible, capacity limits should be exercised in outdoor malls by closing off most entry points (e.g., with rope and signs) and having designated employees at one designated entrance enforcing capacity.
Additional requirements and guidelines
The businesses above can stay open during the emergency period but are subject to the following:
• These businesses and operations must comply with the social distancing requirements listed in the governor’s original emergency proclamation.
These businesses and operations are encouraged to follow these additional guidelines:
• To the extent possible, customers are to wait in their cars for employees to bring out merchandise from the business or operation.
• Signs should be posted throughout the area reminding visitors and employees about physical distancing and to wash their hands.
• Employees should be trained on the importance of frequent hand washing with soap and water, the use of hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol content and the importance of avoiding touching hands to face.
• Employees should be given frequent opportunities to wash their hands.
• Employees who develop symptoms of COVID-19 while at work should be dismissed as soon as possible to self-isolate at home or seek medical attention as appropriate.
• Anyone visibly displaying symptoms of COVID-19 should not be allowed in the business or operation.
The designated businesses and operations are also encouraged to follow the specific guidelines listed for each of the businesses and operations.