Governor outlines guidelines for reopening Nevada with phase one Saturday

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has unveiled his plan for the state to reopen under phase one starting May 9, 2020. Outdoor malls, restaurants, hair salons, and barber shops are among those able to reopen with new standards for safety.

"We must stay safe so we can stay open," said Sisolak of the ability to move into phase 2 by the end of May, or sooner.

"The beginning of the reopening of our economy is not the end of the coronavirus," said Sisolak during a press conference Thursday afternoon. "It's still with us, as strong as ever. It will not go away until there's a vaccine."

"If we want to stay open, it’s up to us to continue the aggressive social distancing measures that allowed us to progress to this point. We must have more patience, so we have fewer patients. And if we continue to stay safe, we can stay open," the governor added.

Nevada’s bars, casinos, salons, bars and other nonessential businesses closed on March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phase One

Individuals

FACE COVERINGS are strongly encouraged in public and when around persons from other households. All Nevadans are encouraged to continue STAYING AT HOME and limit trips outside of their homes as much as practicable to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

ALL VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS should continue to shelter in place. Members of households with vulnerable residents should be aware that by returning to work or other environments where distancing is not practical, they could carry the virus back home. Precautions should be taken to isolate from vulnerable residents.

VISITS TO SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES, long-term care facilities, nursing homes and hospitals should continue to be prohibited.

If tested positive for COVID-19, an individual must QUARANTINE and stay at home for two weeks.

If determined to be a CONTACT OF AN INDIVIDUAL who tested positive for COVID-19, an individual must quarantine and stay at home for two weeks, or until a negative test result has been received.

Maintain at least SIX FEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCING per person for non-household members at all times.

FACE COVERINGS are strongly encouraged when in public and when around persons from other households.

Nevadans must continue to LIMIT PUBLIC & PRIVATE GATHERINGS TO 10 or fewer people, unless individuals live in the same household.

AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL and adhere to self-quarantine and monitor health for 14 days after arriving or returning to Nevada.

UNSAFE HOMES: Individuals whose homes/residences are unsafe or become unsafe, such as victims of domestic violence, are expressly permitted and urged to leave their homes and stay at a safe alternative location.

Requirements for businesses and employers

All essential and non-essential businesses opening or continuing operations in Phase One must adopt measures promulgated by the Nevada State Occupational Safety and Health Administration (NV OSHA) to minimize the risk of spread of COVID-19, including social distancing and sanitation measures, and abide by all other guidance promulgated pursuant to the Phase One directive. All employers shall require employees who interact with the public to wear FACE COVERINGS, to the maximum extent practicable.

All businesses and employers are encouraged to adopt and/or take the following
actions:

Businesses should encourage customers to wear FACE COVERINGS.
Continue to encourage TELEWORK, whenever possible and feasible with business operations.
If possible, have employees RETURN TO WORK IN PHASES.
CLOSE COMMON AREAS where personnel are likely to congregate and interact, or enforce strict social distancing protocols.
Follow guidance from the NEVADA LABOR COMMISSIONER regarding sick leave policies.
Strongly consider SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS for employees who are members of a vulnerable population.
Consider encouraging employees to do a SELF-ASSESSMENT each day in order to check if they have any COVID-19 type symptoms (fever, cough or shortness of breath).
Remind employees to STAY HOME WHEN SICK, use cough and sneeze etiquette, and practice hand hygiene.
Frequently perform enhanced ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING of commonly touched surfaces.
Social Distancing & Sanitation Practices in Businesses - All businesses should consider proactive measures to help protect staff and customers, including but not limited to:
• Implementing separate operating hours for the elderly and vulnerable customers.
• Designating with signage, tape or by other means, six feet of spacing for employees, customers, clients or members to maintain appropriate distance.
• Having hand sanitizer, and sanitizing products, readily available for employees and customers.

Business that must remain closed

• Nightclubs
• Bars, pubs and taverns that do not have a license to serve food
• Gyms & fitness facilities, including health clubs, yoga, barre and spin facilities
• Entertainment and recreational activity venues:
o Recreation and community centers, including public pools
o Sporting event venues
o Live entertainment venues, including theaters
o Cinemas
o Movie theatres (except drive-in movie theaters)
o Racetracks
o Zoos
o Aquariums
o Bowling centers
o Skiing facilities
o Theme parks
o Amusement parks
o Miniature golf
o Arcades and other amusement venues
• Brothels and houses of prostitution
• Adult entertainment establishments
• Spas
• Aesthetic service establishments, with the exception of nail, hair salons and barber shops
• Body art and body piercing establishments

Gaming will NOT reopen in Phase One. Gaming operations, not including licensed
online gaming or mobile wagering operations, remain closed through Phase One. The Gaming Control Board will promulgate guidance for a phased and incremental
resumption of gaming operations.

Businesses that may open

RESTAURANTS:
• Restaurants are strongly encouraged to continue curbside, delivery, and/or pickup operations.
• Restaurants are allowed to open dine-in under strict social distancing requirements:
o Self-service stations (salad bars, beverage stations, etc.) are NOT permitted
o Restaurants shall require employees to wear face coverings and should encourage customers to wear face coverings, to the maximum extent practicable
o In-person or on-premises dining is limited to no more than 50% of available seating capacity, excluding bar seating (table and bar top seating).
o Reservations should be required when practicable to better achieve social distancing requirements
o Tables or available booths must be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
o Bar tops & bar areas within restaurants remain closed (can serve drinks at table)
o If waiting to be seated, patrons must wait outside and practice social distancing.

PUBS, WINERIES, BARS & BREWERIES that serve food can continue curbside, pick-up, and/or carry out operations. If the establishment is licensed to and serves food in a restaurant-like setting, it may open up to do so based on general restaurant restrictions (above) with bar-tops and bar areas closed to drinking and eating

BARBER SHOPS, HAIR SALONS & NAIL SALONS
Barber Shops, hair salons & nail salons may open under strict social distancing requirements:
• Partitions or walls between each chair/workstation are strongly encouraged.
o If there are partitions or walls between each chair/workstation, then each chair/workstation can be used at any given time.
o If there are no partitions or walls between each chair/workstation, the business must only use every other chair/workstation or arrange seating to be at least 6 feet apart to create separation and achieve social distancing.
• Services shall be provided by appointment only.
• Customers waiting for appointment must wait outside and practice social distancing.
• Stylists, technicians, barbers and other employees must wear face coverings. Customers or clients should wear face coverings to the extent practicable.

RETAIL BUSINESSES:
***ALL retail businesses – regardless as to whether they were defined as “essential” or “non-essential” in previous directives – must abide by the Phase 1 Statewide Standards for retail businesses below and listed in the Phase 1 directive.***
Businesses shall require employees who interact with the public to wear face coverings and should encourage customers to wear face coverings, to the extent practicable.
• Retail businesses are strongly encouraged to promote and continue online or call-in ordering, curbside, delivery, and/or pickup operations.
• Retail businesses are strongly encouraged to consult and implement industry best practices.
• Retail businesses shall limit the number of customers in their facility at any given time to no more than 50% of allowed occupancy based on applicable fire code.
• Appliance, furniture, and home furnishing showrooms may reopen; must not exceed 50% of allowed occupancy based on applicable fire code.

Malls:
• Open air malls may open with strict social distancing requirements.
• Indoor malls remain closed to the public, but may establish an outdoor curbside or pick-up operation to the extent practicable, following strict social distancing requirements.
Automobile, ATV, Recreational Vehicle Dealers:
Encourage appointment only; test drives allowed if only customer or customer household member(s) - no dealership representative in/on the vehicle; showroom areas open to the public must not exceed 50% of allowed occupancy based on
applicable fire code.

Entertainment:
• Drive-in movie theatres may resume operations provided that they follow strict social distancing protocols.

CANNABIS:
Under the Governor’s previous executive order, retail cannabis dispensaries were able to offer curbside sales. Under the Phase 1 directive, that will be expanded to include the ability to conduct in-store sales under the following guidance from
the Marijuana Enforcement Division / Cannabis Compliance Board:
• Retail cannabis dispensaries are encouraged to continue curbside, delivery and pick-up operations.
• May conduct in-store sales after submitting plan and receiving approval from the Marijuana Enforcement Division.
Must adhere to strict social distancing requirements.
o Retail businesses shall limit the number of customers in their facility at any given time to no more than 10 customers or 50% of allowed occupancy based on applicable fire code; whichever is fewer.
o Consultations virtually or by phone / email whenever possible.
• Employees will be required to wear face coverings; facilities must turn away any customer refusing to wear a face covering.

Businesses and entities that will remain open under pre-phase one standards

RECREATIONAL AREAS: Local governments shall continue limiting the general public's use of shared recreational equipment, including playground equipment, basketball courts, volleyball courts, baseball fields, beaches, or football fields, in a manner that causes the congregation of ten or more persons in a manner contrary to best COVID-19 disease mitigation social distancing practices.

Golf, tennis, and pickleball activities can continue to operate as long as they comply with social distancing, sanitation, and other requirements intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

NEVADA STATE PARKS, if open, are limited to day use only.

Beverage production facilities (e.g. BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES, & WINERIES) without food service options may remain open for the manufacture of product and can continue curbside and/or pick-up operations. NO serving for consumption on the premises.

DRIVE UP RELIGIOUS SERVICES continue to be permitted, as long as congregants stay in a vehicle and maintain at least 6 feet of social distance from people not in their household.

Grocery stores will still NOT BE ALLOWED TO OFFER SELF-SERVE FOOD OPTIONS, like salad bars and unpackaged dry goods, like nuts, seeds, coffee, etc. Stores can still pre-package these items themselves and sell them, but they can no longer remain open for self-service.

Transportation: Transportation, paratransit, vehicle rental services, taxis, transportation network companies (such as Uber and Lyft), marinas, docks, boat storage, and other private, public and commercial transportation and logistics providers may continue to be open and operate subject to strict social distancing requirements. They must continue to adhere to all rules set forth by their appropriate regulatory authority.

Professional Services and Other General Office Environments:
Professional services, such as legal services, accounting services, and real estate services should be conducted virtually or by telephone whenever possible. Staff should be encouraged to continue to work from home as much as
possible, or return to work in phases. See additional guidance from the LEAP.