MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Monday, May 18th, The Shelby County Health Department and the Shelby County Municipal Mayors announced that Phase 2 of their reopening plan is ready to go into effect. With that comes substantial changes to how businesses can operate and how Shelby County residents can interact in public. Below is a handy reference list from the Memphis Back to Business Plan that outlines the relaxed rules.
General Regulations
- No purposeful groups of more than 50.
- Adherence to social distancing.
Places of worship
- Follow regulations per State order.
- Online worship remains strongly encouraged
- Additional guidance for places of worship are being developed.
Restaurants
- Maximum capacity of 50%.
- Bar seating closed
- No communal use items and products
- No live entertainment
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Hair salons and barber shops
- Open, with specific capacity and operations restrictions set forth in the Health Directive issued by the Shelby County Health Department
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Other personal appearance businesses (nail salons, tattoo shops, spas, etc.)
- Open, with specific capacity and operations restrictions to be developed in partnership with the industry and providers.
Grocery stores
- Limit occupancy to 50% building capacity
- Require face masks and gloves for all employees preparing or serving food and employees with interaction with the public; require at least face coverings for all other employees.
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Retail stores and commercial businesses
- Limit occupancy to 50% building capacity.
- Employees with interaction with the public must wear face masks
- All other employees must wear face masks.
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Attractions/museums
- Maximum capacity of 50%, with social distancing compliance.
Libraries
- Limit occupancy to 50% building capacity.
- Employees must wear face masks.
Dentistry
- Continue to follow regulations per State orders.
Bars
- TBD pending additional guidance
Hardware stores
- Limit occupancy to 50% building capacity
- Require face masks and gloves for all employees preparing or serving food and employees with interaction
- Require at least face coverings for all other employees.
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Manufacturers/distributors
- Require face masks for all employees.
- Require symptom checks for all employees.
- Establish work arrangements by which employees are spaced six feet from one another.
Offices/call centers
- Require face masks for all employees.
- Require symptom checks for all employees.
- Establish work arrangements by which employees are spaced six feet from one another.
- Do not share phones or headsets.
- Allow tele-work and minimize business travel to the greatest extent possible.
Non-contact sports facilities (golf courses, tennis courts, etc.)
- Open, following guidance on maximum number of individuals for groups.
- Shared equipment prohibited.
- Employees with interaction with the public must wear face masks; all other employees must wear face masks.
- Dining facilities limited to 50% capacity; carry-out/delivery OK and subject to the regulations required for restaurants.
Contact sports facilities (basketball courts, baseball fields, martial arts, etc.)
- Open, following guidance on maximum number of individuals for groups.
- Employees with interaction with the public must wear face masks; all other employees must wear face masks.
Gyms/fitness facilities
- Limit occupancy to 50% building occupancy.
- Employees must wear face masks.
- Adjust equipment layout or close/restrict access to equipment as necessary to maintain at least six feet of separation between users.
- Conduct regular and thorough cleaning of all equipment, surfaces and areas of the facility using disinfectant cleaning supplies.
- Require customers to clean equipment with disinfecting wipes before and after use. Provide hand sanitizing stations for use upon customer entry and exit.
- See industry-specific protocols HERE.
Car washes
- Fully automated car washes allowed. Ancillary functions like vacuum stations must be closed.
- Will evaluate specific restrictions developed in partnership with the industry.
Entertainment/performance venues (theaters, auditoriums, sports arenas)
- Closed
Recreation facilities (bowling alleys, indoor climbing, arcades, trampoline parks)
- Closed
Festivals, parades, races, and similar public/community events
- Prohibited
Schools
- TBD pending additional guidance
Child care
- Open, reliant on CDC guidance and regulations. Child care programs that remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic should address these additional considerations:
- Implement social distancing strategies.
- Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts.
- Modify drop-off and pickup procedures.
- Implement screening procedures upon arrival. + Maintain an adequate ratio of staff to children to ensure safety.
- When feasible, staff members and older children should wear face coverings within the facility. Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on babies and children under age two because of the danger of suffocation
