Planning to reopen

Health and safety

• Refer to CDC guidelines for businesses and workplaces for federal health and safety recommendations.

• Have the necessary cleaning instructions and operations in place (see the Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes).

  

  Increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces and spaces (eg, bathrooms)

  

  Reducing operating hours to accommodate additional cleaning

  

  Encouraging frequent and staggered sanitization breaks for all employees

  

  Emphasizing high-frequency, high-visibility cleaning

  

  Alternating and rotate lanes for cash registers to reduce congestion and allow for extra cleaning

  

  Providing disinfectants as well as dis-infected bags, carts, and trolleys at entry

• Inform employees on public health guidance.
  

  Completing periodic health-risk categorization through at-home surveys

  

  Training employees on what to expect when returning to the workplace

  

  Establishing two-way communication channels as employees prepare for return

• Check that employees are comfortable with returning to work.
  

  Use of masks required during employee commutes

  

  Contactless temperature checks prior to entry

  

  Staggered entry and work shifts

  

  Masks required and provided for employees

  

  Issuing clear guidance on sick leave, compensation and related policies

• Continuously evaluate, update and improve safety measures.

Rethink the physical space

• Set up proper safety signage inside and outside the business to give guidance to customers.
  

  Promoting healthy personal habits with high-visibility signage and media campaigns

  

  Highlighting new workplace-safety processes and policies on prominent displays

  

  Clear posters on safety guidance and sickness protocols

• Reduce the number of physical touchpoints to the extent possible.
  

  Reorganizing seating and limiting headcount around one area

  

  Adopting “remote-first” culture of video conferencing even when in the office

  

  Limit sharing and disinfect PPE at regular intervals

  

  Ensuring physical separation between customers

  

  Removing or replacing high-touch communal resources

  

  Installing plexiglass barriers between employees and customers

  

  Migrating entirely to contactless payment

  

  Implementing curbside pickups, or define safety protocols for delivery workers and drivers

  

  Altering return and cancellation policies

• Consider adjusting physical layout to enable sufficient space for customers and employees to move around.
  

  Improved air filtration and ventilation

  

  Implementing one-way store aisles with fewer sales specialists

• Manage foot traffic of customers.
  

  Increasing controls at entry point

  

  Limiting on-site capacity

  

  Dedicating hours or spaces for vulnerable populations

• In addition to referencing CDC and official state guidance, consider working with other organizations and businesses in your area that are facing similar challenges to find cooperative solutions.

Notify customers

• Let customers know that your business is reopening (be clear about days and times that you’re open if they differ from your hours before the COVID-19 crisis).
• Promote your hygiene and sanitation measures.
• Email announcements and post on social media.
• Place clear and visible signage on your storefront.
• Use word of mouth in your community.

Prepare for post-infection

• Have a plan in place to properly disinfect facilities if an infection occurs.
  

  Setting up clear measures to detect a COVID-19 positive case

  

  Having clear contact-tracing measures to track and identify individuals and facilities exposed to potential risk

  

  Communicate with employees who may have had contact with a COVID-19 positive patient

  

  Shut down facilities that have been exposed to COVID-19 for deep cleaning

  

  Establishing isolation and quarantine policies post-detection of an infected patient

  

  Creating clear policy for returning to facilities

• Understand legal, liability, privacy, and cybersecurity requirements for testing.