Texas DSHS Guidelines For Reopening Retail Businesses
Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-16 allows retail businesses to reopen this Friday in what he calls a “to go model”. This means retail businesses can reopen for curbside pickup, delivery to a person’s doorstep or delivery by mail.
However, GA-16 requires strict compliance with the guidelines established by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) found at www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus.
A summary of the DSHS guidelines for reopened services:
- All employees must be trained in environmental cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
- Before entering the business, all employees must be screened for cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, fever ≥ 100°F and close contact with a person tested positive for COVID-19. Any employee meeting any of these criteria should be sent home.
- Upon entering the business, all employees must wash or sanitize hands.
- All employees must wear face coverings.
- All employees must maintain at least 6 feet separation between one another.
- Customers may not enter the business.
- Payment should be done over the phone or internet if possible.
- Purchased items should be delivered to the back seat or trunk of customers’ vehicle, customers’ doorstep or delivered through the mail.
- Physical contact with customers should be minimized.
- Employees must wash or sanitize hands after each interaction with a customer and disinfect any item that came into contact with the customer.
This guidance does not apply to businesses considered essential. This guidance is based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
