New guidelines have been released for restaurants, nail salons, spas and other businesses qualified for reopening in Phase 3.
The newest phase is expected to begin either Friday or Saturday in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and the North Country. The exact day will depend on clearance from the governor’s office. The Capital Region will begin Phase 3 next week.
In Phase 3, restaurants and personal care services, like nail salons, spas and tattoo shops, will be allowed to reopen.
Below is the mandatory guidance from the state. Find the full list of rules HERE.
Restaurants
- Limit indoor capacity to no more than 50% of maximum occupancy, exclusive of employees
- Limit outdoor capacity to the number of tables that can be safely and appropriately arranged, such that each table is a minimum of 6 ft. away from another
- All indoor and outdoor tables with seating for customers must be separated by a minimum of 6 ft. in all directions. Wherever distancing is not feasible between tables, physical barriers must be enacted between such tables. Barriers must be at least 5 ft. in height and not block emergency and/or fire exits
- Regardless of physical distance, employees must wear an acceptable face covering at all times
- Patrons must wear face coverings at all times, except while seated; provided that the patron is over the age of 2 and able to medically tolerate such covering
- Individuals seated at the same table must be members of the same party (but may be from different households), with a maximum of 10 people per table
- Seating in bar areas and communal tables are only permitted if at least 6 ft. can be maintained between parties
- Clearly signal 6 ft. spacing in any lines for customers waiting to order, pick-up food, be seated or use the restroom, as well as in any pick-up or payment location
- Designate entrances/exits for customers and separate entrances/exits for employees, where possible
- Limit in-person gatherings (e.g. staff meetings) to the greatest extent possible
- Establish designated areas for vendor pickups and/or deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible
- Employees must wear face masks at all times
Personal Care Businesses
- Personal care services that require customers to remove face coverings (e.g. lip/nose piercings, face massage, facials, lip/nose waxing) are prohibited
- Limit the workforce and customer presence to no more than 50% of the maximum occupancy, inclusive of customers, who must maintain 6 ft. of separation from others, except during the service, and, in all cases, only
- be permitted entry if wearing an acceptable face covering; provided that the customer is over age 2 and medically able to tolerate one
- Ensure 6 ft. distance between individuals at all times, unless safety or the core activity requires a shorter distance (e.g. performing a piercing/tattoo, providing a massage, performing a manicure/pedicure)
- Employees must wear face coverings any time they interact with customers (e.g. performing a service, ringing up a purchase) and any time they come within 6 ft. of another person
- Ensure that customer seating allows customers to maintain a 6 ft. distance from all others except for the employee providing service (e.g. tattoo and piercing workstations, massage tables, or salon workstations must be 6 ft. apart from each other), unless a physical barrier is in place in accordance with OSHA guidelines
- Ensure that employees at appointment desks/cash registers maintain 6 ft. of distance from others, unless there is a physical barrier (e.g. Plexiglas) between them, or the employee is wearing a face covering; however, even with a barrier, employees must wear a face covering any time they interact with a customer
- Close waiting rooms
- Put in place practices for adequate social distancing in small areas, such as restrooms and breakrooms
- Establish designated areas for pickups and deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible
Several regions entered phase two of reopening a little less than two weeks ago. Reopening phases are spaced to be at least two weeks apart, and it is not yet clear when regions such as the Finger Lakes and Central New York may officially enter phase three.
New York City entered phase one Monday, and the state is putting an added emphasis on hot spot neighborhoods. Rockland and Westchester Counties entered phase two Tuesday. Long Island is expected to hit phase two on Wednesday.
The governor said, while he hopes there is no second wave of the virus or another pandemic situation, he says New York is learning from this experience so that it will be ready should it happen again.
Going forward, Cuomo said the emphasis for the state will be to monitor the day-to-date infection rate and watching for any potential spike as more people return to work. To that end, the state is introducing a new dashboard for the public to monitor the spread of the virus.
The focus of the new data presentation would be on daily testing numbers and the percentage of positive cases in a given region or county’s population. Going forward, Cuomo said the state will be watching for any spikes or abnormalities in specific areas amid reopening.
The governor continued to remind citizens to be careful as businesses reopen, as other states have seen COVID-19 spikes as they reopen.
“If you are not smart, you can have a spike,” the governor said.
— 13 WHAM