Ready to open shops amid COVID-19? Fresno official says owners need to start planning
Fresno County’s top health officer said business owners should begin to think about whether they are ready to open with the proper protections amid the coronavirus for when California Gov. Gavin Newsom loosens restrictions
The amount of protections would be different based on each individual workplace, according to Dr. Rais Vohra, the interim health officer for Fresno County Department of Public Health.
“I think of this as something all workplaces are going to have to think about,” he said. “I really think about it as layered protections for everybody involved.”
Many businesses have been deemed nonessential and forced to shutter for about six weeks.
Here are protections Vohra recommended employers consider:
- Stocking personal protective gear like gloves, masks and gowns
- Staggering employee shifts to allow for better social distancing
- Engineering protections like rearranging offices or changing elevator policies
- Thinking about which employees are more at risk and rearranging staffing accordingly
- Eliminating hazards, which could include putting workers on quarantine
Fresno County Health officials said the number of patients who have tested positive for coronavirus climbed by 17 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 538.
Seven people in Fresno County have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness related to the coronavirus. More than 200 people in Fresno County have recovered.
Despite pleas from some in the business community and others, health officials have been slow to say businesses deemed nonessential can open to customers again.
Newsom laid out a four-stage plan to reopen businesses, schools and entertainment events on Tuesday.
The governor said California is currently in phase one. As the state sees hospitalization rates for the coronavirus stabilize, officials plan to move into phase two in the next few weeks, allowing some retail stores to get back to business. Places such as nail salons and gyms won’t reopen until a later phase.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 5:45 PM.
