Carbon County opens carefully

Under variances submitted by Carbon County Health Officer Wayne Couch and approved by State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, certain businesses in Carbon County are able to open in a limited capacity. The variances, which were approved on May 8 and effective immediately, apply to the first and second health orders issued by Harrist and Governor Mark Gordon.

The first order effectively closed bars, restaurants, theaters, gymnasiums, child care facilities, K-12 schools, colleges, universities and trade schools across the state. Under the approved variances to the first order, the following businesses are able to open in a limited capacity; restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffee houses, bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distillery pubs, wineries, tasting rooms, special licencees and clubs. 

Restrictions that business must follow if opening up to dine-in services include:

• All patrons of the business shall be seated at tables (including booths);

• Tables shall be limited to groups of six, preferably of the same household;

• Tables with guests must be positioned so that guests at different tables are at least six feet apart from each other when seated;

• Signage must be maintained to remind individuals from separate parties to stand at least six feet apart; waiting areas must have floor markers to indicate proper spacing;

• The business shall assure that social distancing guidelines are maintained while customers enter and remain in establishment;

• Staff should wear face coverings at all times and perform hand hygiene between interactions with each table;

• Staff shall avoid touching items that have been placed on the table; the table must be cleared by a dedicated staff member once all guests have left;

• Dedicated staff members shall sanitize the area occupied by customers upon departure;

• The business may not operate if PPE, EPA-approved disinfectants and sanitizers, soap, and other necessary cleaning supplies are not available. Hand sanitizer must be available at the restaurant entrance and adjacent to bathrooms;

• The business shall clean and disinfect in the morning, afternoon and evening all high touch surfaces;

• No self-serve food service or buffet options may be available unless food is pre-packaged; drink refills are not allowed in the same containers;

• Employees must be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 or exposures to an individual with COVID-19 prior to each shift; logs must be kept and available for inspection by the local health officer. Staff shall use gloves when handling ready to eat food, including ice. Gloves do not have to be worn for food not cooked;

• Self-service condiments should be eliminated unless they can be adequately cleaned between customers;

• The business should encourage contactless and no-signature payment; if not possible, each pay station should be sanitized after each use.

• The business shall maintain a record of staff working hours, by date and time for purposes of COVID-19 tracing, in the event that tracing is necessary;

• Playgrounds in the business must remain closed;

• No dart/pool leagues, dances, events, or karaoke may take place;

• Signage must be maintained to discourage people that are ill from entering the premise;

• Movie and performance theaters, opera houses, concert halls, music halls and similar places of public accommodation in Carbon County are able to operate under the following restrictions.

• If these businesses serve food, the same guidelines used for restaurants shall be applied.

• Groups must be limited to groups of six, preferably of the same household;

• A 6-foot distance must be maintained between individual groups at all times;

• Close contact between members of different groups is prohibited before, during and after the movie or performance;

• Signage must be maintained to remind individuals to stand six feet apart and signage should be maintained to discourage people that are ill from entering;

• Staff shall perform hand

hygiene between interactions with customers and staff who come within six feet of customers shall wear a face covering;

• Churches and funeral homes in the third modification may allow gatherings subject to the following provisions to be enforced by the religious organization or funeral home.

• A six foot distance must be maintained between individual household groups;

• The number of people in a confined area at any time must be limited to allow for adequate distancing between households and close contact between members is prohibited before, during and after the meeting or service;

• Reading materials, collection plates, and communion trays must be passed out to individual attendee by staff rather than passed between attendee;

• Religious organization leaders and staff shall be screened for symptoms of COVID-19;

• Buildings shall be cleaned thoroughly including all high touch areas;

• Communion shall be served in individual containers:

• There shall be no food or drink served and staff who come within six feet of attendees shall wear a face covering;

The Carbon County Health Officer may grant exceptions to this county wide variance to Statewide Order 2 on a case by case business after evaluating the request and obtaining written approval.

In Carbon County bars have been shut to the public with exception of selling package liquor. Bars can open, but must comply with all requirements outlined in the variance. Seating at the bar is prohibited and guests must be seated at tables or booths. All guests need to be seated six feet apart. No standing or sitting at the bar is allowed.

The recovery from the COVID-19 is starting to take place in Carbon County.