Gov Greg Abbott Issues Guidelines For Nonessential Businesses

Retail stores in Texas will now be able to do business again but in a different way beginning Friday, April 24th.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott authorized the reopening of retail businesses that follow specific guidelines from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

For employees returning to work: All employees must be trained on environmental cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette. All employees must be screened before coming into the business for new or worsening cough; shortness of breath; sore throat; loss of taste or smell; feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit; or known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. Any employee who meets any of these criteria should be sent home. Upon entering the business, employees must wash or sanitize hands. All employees must wear face coverings. Employees must maintain at least 6 feet separation from one another.

For customers: Customers may purchase items from a retail location for pickup, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer’s doorstep, but may not enter the premises.

For retail to-go: All payments should be done by phone or internet, if possible, and contact should be minimized if remote payment is not available. Purchased items should be delivered by the employee to the backseat or trunk of the customer’s vehicle whenever possible to minimize physical contact with the customer. Employees must wash or sanitize their hands after each interaction with a customer, and whenever possible, must disinfect any item that came into contact with the customer.

Doorstep delivery: All payments should be done by phone or internet, if possible, and contact should be minimized if remote payment is not available. Purchased items should be delivered by an employee or third-party carrier and delivered to the customer’s doorstep. The employee or third-party carrier may not enter the customer’s house or business.

Retail delivery by mail: All payments must be done over the phone or internet. Purchased items should be delivered by mail without customer contact. The customer should wash or sanitize their hands after the transaction.

To learn more about Gov. Abbott’s guidelines click the link COVID-19 Information Governor’s Office

To learn more about how the City of Amarillo is handling these new guidelines click here All in Amarillo Governor’s Guidelines