Health and safety rules and guidance for small businesses should be in place before easing COVID-19 restrictions, according to members of the Re-Open Florida Task Force.
The task force is working to meet an April 24 deadline to complete recommendations to Gov. Ron DeSantis on policies to reopen the state’s economy.
The task force executive committee was briefed at 2 p.m. April 22 about two working group meetings earlier in the day. Those meetings focused on Florida industries including tourism, construction, real estate, recreation, retail, transportation, administrative, education, information technology, manufacturing, utilities and wholesale.
Technical issues kept a third task force subgroup on agriculture, finance, government, healthcare, management and professional services from meeting.
All the meetings are being held virtually.
An unnamed speaker on the executive committee call said small businesses owners need industry-specific guidance before reopening. For example, do employees need masks and gloves and what is the maximum building occupancy to keep people safe from the coronavirus.
“Universal (Studios Florida) and Disney World and everybody else — God bless them,they’re a major part of our economy — they’re going to work it out,” the speaker said. “But what the very small business owner is looking for is ‘just tell me what I’ve got to do to open my doors.’”
State Attorney General Ashley Moody said she wants medical professionals to continue to be available for industry working group members as proposals are drafted, such as personal protective equipment requirements and how to report sick workers.
“I’m hoping going forward, we can give them that very clear mission, that industry experts tell us what they need to get back up and going,” she said, “and medical professionals give us very specific guidance.”
Medical professionals advising the task force said April 22 that hospitalization data and reports of influenza-like symptoms by counties will be used to determine an area’s preparedness to reopen.
The need for personal protective equipment at a businesses and the ability to keep at least 6 feet of space between people also will be part of recommended guidance.
Work group member Walter Carpenter, leadership council chairman of the small business advocacy group NFIB, said small businesses should be able to create and self-enforce social distancing and safety measures using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
For example, he said Walmart and Publix have instituted one-way aisles and customer distance markings on the floors in checkout lanes.
AJ de Moya, vice president and general manager of the Miami-based civil engineering firm The de Moya Group Inc., said many companies are concerned that reopening offices will create the opportunity for COVID-19 liability lawsuits should employees or customers become ill or feel at risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner, a task force executive committee member, suggested developing signage for businesses to display confirming the commercial space is compliant with state COVID-19 regulations.
Task force member and Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said public service advertising could help educate the public and businesses owners to state COVID-19 policies.
Concerns about coronavirus-related lawsuits is generating discussion among other state officials. State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-Pinellas County, announced on social media April 22 that he intends to file legislation to shield businesses from COVID-19 liability lawsuits.
The industry groups and task force will meet again at 10 a.m. April 23.
Duval County beaches a model
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry’s reopening of Duval County beaches was used by the task force an example April 22 as an example of one was to reopen Florida’s shorelines statewide.
Curry, a member of the Industry Working Group on Tourism, Construction, Real Estate, Recreation, Retail and Transportation, addressed the task force on easing beach and park restrictions.
Group members praised Jacksonville’s method of limiting beach access to 6-11 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. to reduce crowds and requiring social distancing, as well as limiting activities to walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing.
“For at least the foreseeable or immediate future, we’re going to maintain these restrictions,” Curry said.
Curry said a law enforcement presence at the beaches has been important, not to fine or arrest violators but to remind beachgoers of the regulations.
“The enforcement option is there, but we’re not sending law enforcement on the beach to be a dictator to them,” Curry said.