Coronavirus: Here’s what retailers need to do to open again in Ohio

May 12th, Ohio will allow many retailers who have been closed to reopen to the public-with restrictions.

Chief among them will be that all employees will be wearing masks—and so will customers who come into the business.

“The thing we have learned,” said Governor Mike DeWine, “is that really, when you put that on, the facial covering, you’re protecting the other person. So when two people put the masks on, each one is protecting the other one.”

The governor outlined mandatory requirements, plus some recommended best practices. Here is what the state says is mandatory:

• Ensure a minimum of 6 feet between people; if not possible, build barriers
• Employees must perform daily symptom assessments, including taking temperature with a thermometer and monitoring for a fever, and watching for coughing or trouble breathing.
• Require employees to stay home if symptomatic
• Face coverings must be worn at all times
• Require regular handwashing
• Place hand sanitizers in high-contact locations
• Clean high-touch items after each use (like shopping carts or blankets)
• For customers, specify hours for at risk publc, such as the elderly
• Ask customers and guests not to entire if symptomatic
• Customers must wear face coverings while shopping or visiting
• Stagger entry of customers and guests
• Post social distancing signage and disinfect high-contact surfaces hourly
• Clean merchandise before stocking if possible
• Establish a maximum capacity, for example 50% of the fire code capacity
• Discontinue self-service food stations and product samples
• Food courts remain closed
• If cases are confirmed, the business must immediately isolate and seek medical care for any individual who develops symptoms while at work; the business must contact the local health district about suspected cases or exposures; the business must shutdown the shop or floor for deep sanitation if possible.

Additionally, the governor pointed to best practices he recommends business employ. Here are those best practices recommendations.

• Group employees by shift to reduce exposure
• Health questionnaire for symptoms at entry points for customers or guests
• Provide face coverings for customers or guests upon entry
• Where possible, accept customers by appointment only
• Increase availability for curb-side pickup
• Consider suspending return policies
• Close once per week for deep cleaning
• Maximize available checkout spaces to promote social distancing (e.g. space customer lines with floor markers, use alternating registers)
• Use contactless payments where possible
• Increase capacity for delivery and curbside pickup
• In the case of a confirmed case in the business, the business should work with local health departments to identify potentially infected or exposed individuals to help facilitate effective contract tracing and notification. Once testing is readily available, test all suspected infections or exposures. Following testing, contact local health department to initiate appropriate care and tracing.

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