Dear Members:
Since yesterday, we have received several questions after Alachua County yesterday issued its
stay-at-home order,
which went into effect at midnight last night. We hope this email will help to answer some of those questions. The order can be found linked above in this paragraph, as well as at the end of this email by clicking the red button.
If you have questions, we encourage you to
tune in to Channel 12 today at 5 p.m
., where the County will live stream a discussion on the stay-at-home order and answer frequently asked questions. You also may watch yesterday's
declaration video
for additional perspective. Additionally, if, after taking advantage of these resources, you are unsure whether your business is or may be classified as essential,
please click here
for more information or to contact the County. Answers to commonly-asked questions we have received can be found below.
Q: What businesses are exempt from the new order?
A:
An extensive list of businessed defined by the order as essential is provided beginning on page 4 of the order, and continues until page 8. Some businesses are required or recommended to implement employee screening procedures.
Q: Are restaurants still allowed to operate under the new order
?
A:
Yes, but no dining is allowed on the premises. Restaurants may still serve customers via drive-thru, delivery, curbside and take-out services. Restaurants are required to implement employee screening as outlined on page 5 of the order.
Q: Are daycare centers still allowed to operate?
A:
Yes. Child care centers that provide services that enable employees of essential businesses as defined in the order may operate and are recommended to implement the employee screening questions beginning at the bottom of page 6.
Q: Are hotels and motels still allowed to operate?
A:
Yes. They are encouraged to give priority to "essential lodgers," which are defined on page 8 of the current order.
Q: What are occupancy restrictions and to whom do they apply?
A:
All businesses except those healthcare-related businesses outlined in section 9(a) on page 4 must observe occupancy restrictions, which include limiting inside capacity to one (1) customer per 1,000 covered square feet. For example, a garden area of a facility would count towards the limitation, but detached area without walls, such as a gas station would not, so long as the customers were able to maintain a six-foot distance from each other. Additional customers may line up outside the facility as well as customers in line for payment. The order states that all efforts should be made to comply with the six-foot requirement.
Q: I am still unclear about whether my business is allowed to operate under the current order. How can I get answers?
A:
Please
click here
to find out more. If you believe your business is not included in the order's definition of an essential business, please click the green button below to contact the County to appeal for the designation.
A link to the full order can be accessed below by clicking the red button.
Sincerely,
Your Chamber Team
