As Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced that the state will transition from high-risk COVID-19 orders and directives to ‘code orange’ or moderate-risk starting Friday, May 1, the Southwest Utah Public Health Department (SWUPHD) released its own phased re-opening guidelines for the general public, those at high-risk, and businesses and services throughout the 5-county district.

The ‘code orange’ guidelines released by SWUPHD (encompassing Washington, Iron, Kane, Garfield, and Beaver counties) are numbered and broken down in order as follows:

  1. General Public
  2. Gathering
  3. Travel
  4. General Employer
  5. Households with High-Risk Individuals
  6. Non-hospital healthcare
  7. Food Service
  8. Personal Services (includes Barbers, Hair Stylists, Tattoo & Body Artists, Nail Salons, and Massage Therapists)
  9. Retail (includes Grocery Stores and Pharmacies)
  10. Gyms and Fitness Centers
  11. Hospitality and Tourism
  12. Entertainment
  13. Construction, Manufacturing, and Home Repair
  14. Child Care Services

1: General Public:

Children:

  • Do not attend school outside the home
  • Do not arrange or participate in in-person playdates or similar activities
  • Do not allow children on public playground equipment
  • Schools closed
  • Schools may send home food

Face Coverings:

  • Face coverings (mask, scarf, gaiter, bandana, etc.) worn in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
  • Launder cloth face coverings routinely
  • Individuals should stay 6 feet away from others even when wearing a face covering

Food:

  • Carryout or delivery encouraged. Dine-in services allowable with extreme precaution
  • Decrease shopping frequency
  • Schools may send home food

Outdoors and Recreation:

  • Remain at least six feet apart from individuals from other households while engaging in outdoor activities (walking, hiking, running, bicycling, hunting, fishing, etc.)
  • Do not touch high-touch surfaces, including handrails, trail signs, maps
  • Do not congregate at trailheads, parks, or other outdoor spaces
  • Do not engage in close-contact or team sports
  • Pools operate at 50% capacity, one swimmer per lane, no congregating on pool decks
  • Follow guidelines for state and national parks

2: Gathering:

Family Gatherings: (Funerals, Weddings, Religious Ceremonies, etc.)

  • Small group of close family and friends may attend, as long as they have been following social distancing and hygiene practices for two weeks

Social Guidelines:

  • General public takes extreme precautions
  • Stay 6 feet away from others when outside the home unless not possible
  • Face coverings worn in interactions that take place within a 6-foot distance
  • In-person interactions limited to individual households and those who have been following recommended distancing/hygiene guidelines; increase use of virtual interactions
  • Leave home infrequently
  • Limit out-of-state travel, quarantine 14 days upon return from high-risk areas
  • Social interactions in groups of 20 or fewer

Public Spaces:

  • Regularly disinfect high-touch areas (door handles, buttons/switches, handrails, shopping carts, check-out counters, restroom surfaces, etc.)
  • Provide hand sanitizer for individuals at entrance and exit
  • Design spaces to maintain 6-foot distance between individuals
  • Face coverings worn in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
  • Symptom checking in public and business interactions

3: Travel:

  • Limit travel to essential travel only, following destination guidelines and avoiding areas of high exposure
  • Essential travel means travel to:
    • Safely relocate by an individual whose home or residence is unsafe, including individuals who have suffered or are at risk of domestic violence, or for whom the safety, sanitation or essential operations of the home or residence cannot be maintained
    • Care for a family member or friend in the same household or another household, including transporting family members or friends
    • Transport a child according to existing parenting time schedules or other visitation schedules pertaining to a child in need of protective services
    • Care for pets, including travel to a veterinarian
    • Seek emergency services
    • Obtain medications and medical services
    • Donate blood
    • Obtain food, including delivery or carry-out services, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and other grocery items, gasoline, supplies required to work from home, and products needed to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of homes and residences, businesses, and personally owned vehicles, including automobiles and bicycles
    • Perform work if you cannot telework
    • Transport/deliver essential goods
    • Engage in recreational and outdoor activities
    • Laundromats and dry cleaners
    • Return to a home or place of residence

4: General Employer:

Employers exercise extreme caution, with employees working remotely, evaluating workforce concerns, and enacting strategies to minimize economic impact. Businesses that necessitate on-site work should monitor workforce for symptoms and well-being:

  • Employers take extreme precautions
  • Provide accommodations to high-risk employees
  • Employees and volunteers operate remotely, unless not possible
  • Symptom checking in business interactions
  • Face coverings worn; ensure that face coverings are available
  • Make every possible effort to enable working from home as a first option; where not possible, workplaces comply with distancing and hygiene guidelines
  • Minimize face-to-face interactions, including with customers (utilize drive-thru, install partitions, etc.)
  • Where distancing and hygiene guidelines cannot be followed in full, businesses should consider whether that activity needs to continue for the business to operate
  • Eliminate unnecessary travel and cancel or postpone in-person meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions
  • Require employees to self-quarantine when returning from high-risk areas
  • Employers evaluate workforce strategy and concerns and enact strategies to minimize economic impact

5: Households with High-Risk Individuals:

For those living with a high-risk individual, household members should conduct themselves as if they are a significant risk to the high-risk individual:

  • Wash hands before interacting with the person, including before feeding or caring for the person
  • If possible, provide a protected space for high-risk household members, and ensure all utensils and surfaces are cleaned regularly
  • Those who are, or work with, vulnerable populations should undergo daily screening/symptom monitoring and should be tested if they develop COVID-19 symptoms
  • High-risk populations should take extra precaution to avoid close contact with multiple people, including having the same caretakers whenever possible
  • Additional CDC guidance for high-risk populations can be found here

Interactions with High-Risk Individuals:

  • Avoid physical interactions with high-risk individuals as much as possible
  • Avoid visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and other residential care facilities

Actions by High-Risk Individuals:

  • Face coverings worn at all times in public setting
  • Limit travel to only essential travel; if telework is not possible, limit travel to work-related travel only
  • Limit visiting friends or family without urgent need
  • Limit physical interactions with other high-risk individuals, except for members of your household or residence
  • Limit attending gatherings of any number of people outside your household or residence
  • Do not visit hospitals, nursing homes, or other residential care facilities

6: Non-Hospital Healthcare:

Practices reopened with additional precautions taken by healthcare providers, based on availability of resources:

  • Consider availability of resources (access to PPE, supplies, equipment, medicine)
  • Patients encouraged to wear masks when they go to their healthcare provider
  • Ensure 6-foot physical distance of all patients at all times
  • No congregating in waiting rooms; if possible, patients should wait outside or in their car and be escorted directly to a treatment room with minimal social interaction
  • All children’s play areas, toys, magazines, and similar items removed from waiting rooms
  • Screen patients upon entering the office with a questionnaire asking about symptoms, travel, and any sicknesses in the home
  • Take patient temperature to screen for fever
  • Only one adult may accompany each child; strongly encourage to wait outside the exam room if aerosols will be generated during treatment
  • Plexiglass barrier installed, face shields, or masks appropriate to setting provided to front desk personnel
  • Appropriate PPE should be worn when taking care of non-COVID-19 patients
  • Appropriate protocols, by setting, should be put in place for using appropriate PPE for PUI, screened positive, and COVID-19 patients
  • Personal clothing should be changed when leaving care setting based on risk posed by patient care being provided
  • Gowns or shoe coverings are not necessary, but would provide added protection
  • Face shields or goggles that seal around the eyes must be worn when performing any treatment that creates an aerosol
  • Maintain appointment log with patient contact information to assist with contact tracing efforts (EMR system is sufficient)
  • All universal precautions strictly maintained

7: Food Service:

Takeout, curbside pickup, or delivery options encouraged. Dine-in services allowable with extreme precaution, following strict guidelines around physical distancing and staff monitoring. Contactless payment encouraged. Create safe environment for staff:

For dine-in services:

Dine-in services, including buffets, may be open under the following requirements:

  • Limit tables to groups of 6, preferably members of the same household
  • Must maintain 6 feet between parties at all times. Either move tables or mark off tables not to be used
  • In waiting areas, a 6-foot distance must be maintained between parties, whether indoor or outdoor
  • Maintain signage to remind individuals from separate parties to stand at least 6 feet apart; waiting area has floor markers to indicate proper spacing
  • Hosts preferably open doors for customers and guide them to their seats to prevent traffic or congregating; hand sanitizer available at door
  • Upon entry, hosts point guests to signage that includes the following information:
  • Outlines symptoms and encourages that if the patron, or someone they live with, has experienced COVID-19 symptoms, to please order takeout instead
  • Recommendation for high-risk individuals to order takeout/delivery instead of dining in for the protection of that individual
  • Manager checks each employee for symptoms before every shift with temperatures taken and asks if any member of the employee’s household has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Log must be kept and available for inspection by the local health officer
  • Staff must wear face coverings at all times and perform hand hygiene between interactions with each table
  • Cups, lids, napkins and straws must be handed directly to customers by staff
  • Do not place utensils on table until patron is seated
  • Encourage contactless and non-signature payment; when not possible, card and payment stations must be sanitized after each use. Staff must sanitize hands between handling payment options and food/containers
  • Staff avoid touching items that have been placed on the table (menus, plates, utensils, pens, cups, etc.). The table will be cleared by a dedicated staff member once all guests have left
  • Dedicated staff member sanitizes the area occupied by customers upon departure including tables, menus, pens, salt and pepper shakers, etc. Consider use of disposable items if necessary
  • The restaurant may not operate if PPE, EPA-approved disinfectants and sanitizers, soap, and other necessary cleaning supplies are not available; sanitizer is effective against COVID-19. Chlorine (bleach) at 100-200 ppm is recommended
  • Hand sanitizer must be available immediately adjacent to bathrooms
  • Close restaurant for cleaning and disinfecting in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Cleaning and disinfecting includes all tables, chairs, door handles, floors, bathrooms, and any high-touch surfaces
  • Buffet and self-serve restaurants will provide utensils, cups, plates and other service items only from the counter where food is ordered. None of these items will be accessible to the public. Buffet style restaurants will provide servers who will serve the meals from buffet to limit exposure. Patrons will not be allowed within 6 feet of the food serving area
  • Stagger workstations so employees are not facing one another and are 6 feet apart
  • To-go boxes, pizza boxes, paper cups, and any other paper product that touches food must be treated as food
  • Staff must use gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods (including ice). Gloves are not required when handling foods that have yet to be cooked
  • Playgrounds in restaurants remain closed

For takeout services:

  • Symptom checking of employees
  • Staff wear face coverings
  • Stagger workstations so workers can maintain a 6-foot distance and do not face one another
  • Encourage contactless payment; if not possible, disinfect transaction terminal between customers
  • Staff must sanitize hands between handling payment options and food/containers
  • When delivering food, drivers use hand sanitizer before passing delivery to customers and use disposable containers/packaging that do not need to be returned
  • Employers provide personal protection equipment such as face coverings, hair nets, gloves, overalls
  • Customers voluntarily provide contact information to assist with contact tracing efforts

8: Personal Services (includes Barbers, Hair Stylists, Tattoo & Body Artists, Nail Salons, and Massage Therapists)

Industry open under strict hygiene protocols. Service provider and customer must wear face coverings. Meticulous monitoring of symptoms:

  • Both service provider and client must wear face coverings; services that cannot be performed without face coverings must not be rendered (beard trimming, waxing, piercing services, etc.)
  • Service provider must wear gloves, changing frequently as required by state and local public health law
  • Symptom checking of all staff at the beginning of each shift, with a log that can be made available for inspection by health department
  • Customers must have their symptoms checked before services are rendered
  • No walk-ins allowed; services by appointment only
  • Appointments scheduled with enough time allowed to disinfect all procedure surfaces between services
  • Service provider maintains log of appointments with customer contact information to assist with contact tracing efforts
  • When services are not being directly provided, 6 feet of physical distance must be maintained. This includes waiting areas and between clients at all times
  • Contactless payment encouraged; financial equipment disinfected after each transaction

9: Retail (includes Grocery Stores and Pharmacies)

Retail establishments create a safe environment for customers and staff with frequent reminders on distancing and hygiene. Monitor employees for symptoms. Customers and employees wear face coverings:

  • Both customers and employees wear face coverings
  • Maintain signage to remind and help individuals stand at least 6 feet apart, including outside when in line, and in store check-out lines
  • Assign an employee to disinfect carts and baskets after each use
  • Maximum number of patrons must be such that a 6-foot distance between patrons and employees can be easily maintained (1 person per 100 square feet)
  • Provide hand sanitizer at checkout counters and entrance/exit
  • Limit purchase quantities on certain goods selling out quickly; this will help maintain ability to meet needs of patrons and limit crowds and lines
  • Set an established daily window of time for high-risk individuals to come in without pressure from crowds
  • Staff may only come closer than 6 feet when accepting payment or delivering goods or services if wearing face covering
  • One-way aisles to support physical distancing
  • Discourage bringing kids or strollers into stores when possible to allow as much space as possible in aisles
  • Consider installing a clear plastic partition between cashier and customer where it is not possible to maintain 6 feet of distance
  • Deliver products through curbside pick-up or delivery
  • Make regular announcements to remind customers to follow physical distancing guidelines

Specific Guidance for Grocery & Pharmacy:

  • Separate order and delivery areas to keep customers from waiting too long in confined areas together
  • Prevent people from self-serving any items that are food-related; lids for cups provided by staff
  • Only make bulk items available if they are individually packaged
  • Do not allow individuals to bring their own bags, mugs, or other reusable items from home
  • Waive prescription delivery fees

10: Gyms and Fitness Centers:

Recommended closure of fitness centers and gyms; if open, fitness centers and gyms should follow strict distancing and cleaning guidance:

  • Employees must go through symptom checking before every shift, including temperature. Log must be kept and available for inspection by health department
  • Employees must wear face coverings; patrons encouraged to wear face coverings whenever possible
  • Limit the number of patrons in the facility at one time
  • 1 person per 100 square feet
  • Space or close off equipment so patrons maintain 10 feet of distance at all times
  • No team or group activities
  • Staff must disinfect all equipment after each use
  • No sign-in sheets, touchpads, or touch surfaces required for entry
  • High-risk individuals discouraged from using facilities at this time
  • Pools limited to 50% pool capacity, one swimmer per lane, congregating on the pool deck is not allowed

11: Hospitality and Tourism:

Hotels and other accommodations take extreme safety precautions for both staff and guests:

  • Staff and guests wear face coverings
  • Maintain signage to remind groups to stand at least 6 feet apart and avoid congregating in common areas
  • Social distancing maintained in all common areas or meeting rooms
  • Digital check-in and checkout encouraged
  • Consider installing plexiglass partition in areas coming into close contact with guests (registration, concierge, valet desks, etc.)
  • Symptomatic guests should stay in their room and wear a face covering anytime they leave the room
  • Consider designating one staff member to attend to sick guests
  • Discontinue or decrease housekeeping services to prevent transmission between rooms during guest stays
  • Guest room cleaning should include a complete change of towels, linens, pillows, and guest consumable items while all hard surfaces and high-touch areas are completely disinfected with an EPA-registered chemical disinfectant
  • When possible, rooms should remain vacant for 48 hours after check-out and prior to cleaning
  • Launder all exposed linens and cleaning supplies separately
  • Food should be served in a takeout-style (grab and go) manner; no buffet-style dining
  • Fitness centers and pools follow gym guidelines in that specific category .
  • Provide guests with their own sanitation solutions or wipes to instill guest confidence (alcohol wipes for remote controls or shared surfaces, etc.)

12: Entertainment:

In-person operation of this industry is allowable under increased cleaning regimen and operational protocols in place to ensure safe distancing restrictions are met:

  • A 10-foot distance must be maintained between individual household groups at all times while seated
    • Physical distance between households is increased to 10 feet in this category due to movement, cheering, exertion, and prolonged exposure. Physical distancing requirements will be evaluated for incremental decreases in the yellow phase based on data and milestone trends
  • For reserved-seating facilities, facility capacity is dependent on ability to block reserved seats (demonstrated on digital seat map) to ensure safe radius
  • Set an established window time for high-risk groups to come in without pressure from crowds and/or separate entrances and queues
  • Limit the number of people in a confined area to enable adequate distancing at all times
  • Maintain signage to remind and help individuals stand at least 6 feet apart when in common areas or while visiting exhibits (museums, zoos, aquariums, aviaries, botanical gardens, etc.)
  • Congregating at any point is not allowed
  • Encourage contactless payment; disinfect between transactions at facility stores/gift shops and comply with other retail recommendations
  • Participants (players, performers, actors, etc.) in events should have their symptoms checked
  • Electronic tickets and playbills encouraged in place of paper

Concessions:

  • Serving and seating protocols consistent with restaurant guidance
  • Maintain 6-foot distancing for all lines
  • Encourage contactless payment
  • To the extent reasonable, serve grab-and-go food items
  • Any concessions/restaurant seating is compliant with restaurant dine-in recommendations

13: Construction, Manufacturing, and Home Repair:

Home Repair:

Operates under the General Guidelines for Employers. Strict hygiene.

  • Inquire if homes have symptomatic individuals and exercise caution
  • Monitor symptoms of employees
  • Wash or sanitize hands before and after leaving a home
  • Wear face coverings and gloves, changing between each site
  • Disinfect tools after each site
  • Share estimates, invoices, and other documentation electronically

Construction, General Contractors, and Manufacturing:

Operates under the General Guidelines for Employers. Strict hygiene and reduced group interactions.

  • Ensure nobody with symptoms enters a job site
  • Provide additional hand washing stations; wash or sanitize hands before and after leaving a site
  • Wear face coverings and gloves
  • Clean and disinfect project sites, including high-touch surfaces and tools frequently
  • Share estimates, invoices, and other documentation electronically

14: Childcare Services:

Enhanced cleaning and distancing protocols. No symptomatic children.

  • Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting
  • Encourage children to be 6 feet apart as much as possible
  • Groups must be restricted to groups of 20 unless a wall can physically separate each group
  • Limit mixing the groups of children (keep in separate rooms, allow on the playground at different times)
  • Curbside drop off and pick up
  • All individuals must wash hands with soap and running water upon arrival
  • Don’t use toys that can’t be washed and disinfected
  • Children and staff should stay home if they’re sick
  • Children and staff get their temperature checked at the facility
  • If there is a confirmed case, facility must be closed and alert local health department
  • All high-touch surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected after each use (toys, keyboards, desks, remote controls, etc.)

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