Reprinted from Joel Ebert, Nashville Tennessean
Published 11:11 a.m. CT April 24, 2020 |Updated 1:23 p.m. CT April 24, 2020
Restaurants throughout Tennessee will be allowed to have in-person, albeit limited, capacity dining provided employees wear masks and gloves starting Monday while retail stores can begin reopening on Wednesday with similar precautions, according to a plan from Gov. Bill Lee. At the same time, the governor said close contact services, including barbershops, salons, massage and tattoo parlors, will remain closed until additional guidelines are issued and protective gear secured. Businesses that can have employees work from home are encouraged to continue such practices. The state’s guidelines also recommend employees at restaurants and retail stores undergo temperature checks upon arrival or before reporting to work.
Lee announced the various forms of guidance, dubbed the Tennessee Pledge, for businesses on Friday as part of the state's overall effort to begin rebooting its economy while still grappling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Starting Monday, business re-openings will be allowed to take place in 89 of Tennessee's 95 counties, with the most populated areas determining their own plans. Earlier this week, Lee announced he would not extend a stay-at-home order beyond April 30.
Under the state's plan, restaurants are asked to require employees to wear gloves and masks, use disposable menus, have a maximum of 6 people per table, and limit overall occupancy to 50 percent capacity. Live music is prohibited with bar areas remaining closed. Restaurants are also asked to clean all front-of-house surfaces every two hours and halt any buffets, shared condiments or beverage stations. The plan also encourages restaurants to screen customers with "basic questions" about COVID-19 symptoms.
In terms of retail businesses, the state's plan similarly calls for employees to wear masks and gloves while limiting store capacity to 50 percent. The plan makes a host of recommendations that could change the way Tennesseans shop, including suggesting businesses:
· create one-way aisles and traffic patterns for social distancing;
· prohibit reusable bags;
· dedicate certain operating hours for elderly, medically vulnerable and health care workers;
· designated separate entrance and exits;
· use plastic shields or barriers at checkout counters;
· adjust store hours for cleaning; and
· halt sampling of food and personal hygiene products.
Under Tennessee’s plan, businesses in six counties – Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Madison and Sullivan – will not open until local officials sign off on their own reopening proposals.
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