More than 113 people joined a virtual meeting hosted by the Jackson (Tenn.) Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon to talk about the reopening of Jackson-Madison County restaurants and retail stores during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants will reopen Monday, while retail stores are set to reopen Wednesday.
Attendees were greeted by Jackson Chamber President/CEO Kyle Spurgeon, who said since Monday, March 16, he, along with City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger, Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris, Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department Executive Director Kim Tedford and West Tennessee Healthcare CEO James Ross, have been meeting daily about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affects the economy and business owners.
During Friday’s meeting, Conger, Harris, Tedford and Ross answered questions that business owners had and congratulated the business owners on doing the right thing even though they’ve been struggling.
Harris added, “(Conger and I) have made some very tough decisions. We know that you’ve been struggling…(By reopening), we’re putting a lot of confidence in ya’ll and the citizens.”
You can watch the meeting in its entirety below:
Gov. Bill Lee issued Friday morning the first steps from the “Tennessee Pledge,” the state’s rollout of guidance and best practices for Tennessee businesses in 89 of the state’s 95 counties to keep employees and customers safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first industries to receive guidance through the plan include the restaurant and retail industries.
The State of Tennessee recommends the following best practices for restaurants at this time.
Protecting Employees
• Wear face coverings and gloves
• Report any symptoms of illness to supervisor
• Follow daily sanitation protocols
Protecting Customers
• Limit occupancy to 50% of seating capacity
• Customers should wear face coverings
• Space tables 6 feet apart
• Limit seating to 6 per table
• Use social distancing standards in waiting areas
• Keep bar areas closed
• No live music
• Screen customers with basic questions about COVID-19 symptoms
The State of Tennessee recommends the following best practices for
retail stores at this time:
Protecting Employees
• Wear dedicated cloth face coverings, gloves, and other personal protection
items as recommended by the CDC
• Report any symptoms of illness to supervisor
• Provide training on personal protective equipment based on CDC guidelines
• Sanitize hands with soap and/or hand sanitizer
• Stagger shifts, breaks, and meals to maintain social distancing
Protecting Customers
• Limit customer occupancy to 50% of store capacity
• Customers should wear face coverings inside stores
• Consider shopping hours for the elderly, medically vulnerable, and health care workers
• Establish one-way aisles and traffic patterns for social distancing
• Increase curbside, pickup, and delivery service options
• Prompt customers regarding the importance of social distancing
Restaurants and retail stores have the right to refuse service to any customers who will not wear facial coverings or comply with guidelines.
You can read all of the guidelines at the following link: Tennessee Pledge Guidelines