St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper on Tuesday announced the Northshore parish will follow state guidelines for reopening businesses as the statewide stay-at-home order comes to an end Friday. But it also means some rules to follow for the three-week "safer at home" period.
"Employers will require facemasks where there is public interface," said St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper. "Hand sanitizer availability must be at each entrance of businesses."
Chris Masingil with St. Tammany Corporation says following these rules is how the community moves into the next phase.
"We have to remind ourselves that the adherence to social distancing guidelines, recommendations for wearing the face covers, as we go into the phase one guidance of operations for our businesses, continues to put St. Tammany in the strongest position possible."
The following business guidelines will be required by the parish:
- Employers will require employees to wear masks or face coverings
- Customers or clients will be strong encouraged to wear masks or face coverings
- Businesses should consider taking the temperatures of employees before they enter the work site
- Businesses should consider taking the temperatures of customers before they enter
- Hand sanitizer needs to be available at the entrance of each place of business, including retail stores, gas stations, banks, etc...
- Businesses will sanitize all frequently-touched areas no less than once a day or at shift changes.
- Groceries and businesses that require shopping carts will sanitize those after each use
- Individuals should remain six feet apart from other individuals at all times
- Businesses should mark flooring with tape to show where people should wait to be served
- Plastic shields or barriers are to be placed between cashiers and individuals
- COVID-19 guidelines should be placed in conspicuous places
- Capacity is reduced to 25 percent of the State Fire Marshal's capacity limit or one person per 100 square feet
- Elective surgeries can resume on an outpatient basis.
