Economic Recovery Guidelines

Businesses that have variable ability to maintain physical distancing among employees and have moderate/close contact with the public, or the public is in moderate/close proximity to each other.

Examples: Dental facilities, hair salons, massage parlors, tattoo shops, taverns, gyms, restaurants, wineries, food trucks/stands, outdoor patios, outdoor activities/sports, racetracks, movie theaters, etc.

Recommended Guidelines:

• Continue disinfecting processes for “tools of the trade”.
• Increase disinfecting of common areas.
• Create physical distancing of areas where clients are served.
• Those providing services wear masks and gloves.
• Stagger client appointments to limit the number of people in common area.
• Consider having businesses open for 16 – 18 hours to allow for more staggering and distancing of appointments.
• Train workers on how to properly put on, use/wear, take-off and maintain protective clothing and equipment.
• Consider testing for fevers using gloves and masks.
• Leave entryways open for hands free entry.
• Create a single point of entry to the facility to screen everyone who enters.
• Provide a signature free checkout process.
• Follow guidelines provided by the "Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas" to limit occupancy.

    Gyms/fitness centers:

• Temporarily remove 24 hour access to provide for sanitation and monitoring of members.
• Provide adequate distance per CDC guidelines between workout equipment.
• Indoor group workouts should be temporarily postponed.
• Sanitize gym equipment after each use.
• Hand sanitizers throughout the gym.
• Train workers on how to properly put on, use/wear, take-off and maintain protective clothing and equipment.

   Suggestions for Restaurants, Wineries, Outdoor Patios:

• Adopt the "Texas Restaurant Promise" in partnership with the Texas Restaurant Association and Texas Health Officials (https://www.txrestaurant.org/texas-restaurantpromise)
• Post "Texas Restaurant Promise" on front door.
• Work with the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) and chemical/soap companies to train restaurant employees on public safety guidelines; certify all team members in safe food handling and have a certified manager on each shift.
• Provide single-use place settings, utensils, menus, and condiments.
• Provide disposable menus (not laminate).
• Have employees pass a health check or complete a health survey prior to each shift.
• Buffets - Self-service buffets should be revised. Instead stations should be set up where an employee (server or cook) places the food on the customers plate.
• Tables can be set up so they are 6 feet apart or every other table. The host staff will need to monitor the dining room such that customers are seated according to these safe distance requirements and to stop seating to maintain physical distance.
• Provide hand sanitizer for guests to use at the host desk, in the restrooms, and if possible, right outside the front doors. Host staff as well as other employees wear disposable gloves. Clean and sanitize tables and chairs after every use; frequently clean common areas.

   Movie theaters, Racetracks, Etc:

• Limit spacing of every other row and two seats between individuals or families.
• Frequent cleaning of restrooms, doors and common areas.
• Require masks for all who attend movies.
• Disinfect surfaces after each movie.
• Train workers on how to properly put on, use/wear, take-off and maintain protective clothing and equipment.

   Salons & Cosmetics:

• Services should be provided by appointment only.
• Only those receiving services (including legal guardian if necessary) should be present.
• Consider asking clients to wait in cars instead of using a waiting room.
• Only one client per service provider.

    Houses of Worship:

• Encourage all attendees who are 65 and above to stay home and watch the services online, or provide a “senior service” exclusively for attendees 65 and above to attend in person. Per Governor Abbott’s and Attornery Generals Ken Paxton’s joint guidelines (co.ellis.tx.us/JointGuidanceForHousesofWorship)
• Ask all attendees who have an underlying at-risk health condition to stay home and watch the services online.
• Equip ushers and greeters with gloves and masks.
• Consider keeping child care closed, unless the house of worship can comply with CDC guidelines for child care facilities.
• Ensure all attendees sanitize their hands and put on a mask before entering the building.
• Ensure attendees sit with their family unit and use social distancing between each unit in accordance with the Reopening of Texas Guidelines.
• Clergy should dismiss attendees by family unit and row, maintaining social distancing.
• Staff should sanitize seats and frequently touched surfaces between services.
• Consider using additional facilities to maintain social distancing.
• Consider refraining from passing collection plates and instead provide a central collection box in the building or encourage online giving.
• Consider how the sacraments can be administered without attendees having to touch the same surfaces and objects.

We recommend that all employees, regardless of the focus group, continue practicing physical distancing, encourage staff to wear personal protective equipment (ie: simple cloth face coverings, medical masks and/or gloves), frequent hand washing and continuing to monitor for fever or first signs of illness. We are counting on community influencers like you, to distribute the following guidelines and maintain accountability for voluntary compliance throughout the community.