Photo Courtesy of Gov. Reeves office
While Governor Tate Reeves has extended Mississippi’s ‘safer-at-home’ order for an additional two weeks, a new executive order will allow additional industries to get back to work.
The order will take effect on Monday at 8:00 a.m., and ahead of that date, the Governor has laid out social distancing guidelines and sanitation protocols for the reopening of Mississippi’s salons, barbershops, and gyms.
“The human cost of another Great Depression is higher than the benefit of broad orders. As we work to re-open our economy, that is not a signal that the threat of the virus is gone. It is a shift in strategy because months of making it illegal for small businesses to operate is not sustainable. To the people of Mississippi: I am asking you—begging you—to exercise your personal responsibility,” said Governor Tate Reeves.
A breakdown of those guidelines from the Governor’s office can be seen below.
SALONS & BARBERSHOPS:
For businesses:
- Before they can reopen, the entire salon or barbershop must be deep-cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized top to bottom. After opening, salons and barbershops must be deep-cleaned daily.
- All salons and barbershops are expected to take every step necessary to implement the regulations, orders, and guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health and CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Hand sanitizer must be placed at all entrances.
- Minimizing person-to-person contact through technology, like mobile or online reservations and contact-less payment, is encouraged.
- Salons and barbershops must post signage at each entrance stating no customer with a fever or COVID-19 symptoms are allowed in.
- Chairs are to be rearranged to ensure at least 6 feet between each customer and be sanitized after each use by a customer.
- Only one customer per employee is allowed in the salon or barbershop at any given time.
For employees:
- All employees will be screened daily at the beginning of their shifts, including asking whether they have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and have they had a fever in the last 48 hours.
- Face coverings must be provided to all employees who come in direct contact with customers. Employees are required to wear that face covering throughout their shift and clean or replace daily.
- Employees must also wear disposable gloves and change them between customers, as well as wash their hands between every customer.
- All employees must be provided training on how to limit the spread of COVID-19.
For customers:
- All waiting areas are to remain closed. Customers must wait in their vehicles until their appointment time and they are called for screening before entering.
- Customers must sanitize their hands when entering and exiting.
- Customers will be screened upon entry, including asking whether they have experienced any symptoms of COVID-19.
- Customers must wear a face covering, such as a cloth mask, while inside at all times, unless they’re receiving a service that would be impeded by the covering.
- Each customer must be draped with a clean cape, which are to be laundered after each use. A protective strip should also be placed around the neck of each customer getting a haircut.
GYMS:
For businesses:
- Before they can reopen, the entire gym must be deep-cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized top to bottom. After opening, gyms must be deep-cleaned daily.
- All gyms are expected to take every step necessary to implement the regulations, orders, and guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health and CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Gyms must close to the public by 10:00 PM each day.
- In addition to other gym staff, there must be at least one employee onsite during hours of operation dedicated to wiping down equipment after each use.
- All high-touch areas must be sanitized at least once every two hours.
- Exercise machines and equipment must be rearranged and/or deactivated to ensure at least 6 feet between customers.
- Gyms must post signage at each entrance stating no customer with a fever or COVID-19 symptoms are allowed in.
- Hand sanitizer must be placed at all entrances and throughout the gym floor.
- All common areas must remain closed.
For employees:
- All employees will be screened daily at the beginning of their shifts, including asking whether they have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and have they had a fever in the last 48 hours.
- Face coverings must be provided to all employees who come in direct contact with customers. Employees are required to wear that face-covering throughout their shift and clean or replace daily.
- All employees must be provided training on how to limit the spread of COVID-19.
- Every employee on the gym floor must wear disposable gloves to be changed at least once an hour.
For customers:
- No more than 30% of the gym’s maximum capacity. Gyms are encouraged to limit customers’ time to a max of 1 hour per day.
- Classes or group exercises are allowed with customers maintaining a minimum of a 6-foot distance apart.
- Customers must sanitize their hands when entering and exiting the gym and when they move between equipment.
During his daily press briefing, the Governor did state that the virus does still pose a threat and that there will be risk associated with taking these steps. With that said, he urged caution – especially for those in the ‘high-risk’ categories such as the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system.
Indoor gatherings of 10 or more people are still prohibited under the new order. Outdoor gatherings are still limited to 20 people.
Earlier this week, restaurant dining rooms were allowed to reopen under strict health guidelines after weeks of being limited to drive-thru, curbside and delivery options. Parks across the state were also allowed to reopen.
This morning, the Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed the state’s largest one-day rise in the number of COVID-19 cases with 404. To date, 9,090 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed with 409 Mississippians tragically passing away due to the virus.
You can view the text version of the Executive Order No. 1480 here.
