For Retailers: Social Distancing Protocols, Re-Opening Guides & Examples

On May 22 The County of Santa Clara Will Announce An Amended Health Officer Order Allowing Retail Business to Open for Curbside Pick-Up

This updated Shelter-in-Place Order allows certain additional businesses and activities to resume, subject to restrictions to reduce transmission risk. The Order also makes important changes to the Social Distancing Protocol requirements for all operating businesses. This new Order will go into effect at 12:01 am on Friday, May 22, 2020, and will remain in effect until the Health Offer amends or rescinds it.  

What changes does this new Order make?

The May 22 Order allows several new categories of businesses and activities to reopen, subject to specific conditions and limitations. It also keeps key restrictions in place, requiring people to stay in their homes except when engaging in certain essential or allowed activities.  The activities and businesses allowed to reopen under the new order are referred to as “Additional Activities” and “Additional Businesses”.

Which Additional Businesses Can Open?  

• Retail stores may reopen for sales, but only for curbside/outside pickup or by delivery. Customers are not allowed to enter these retail stores. These retail stores must also comply with several additional operating conditions, including:

• They cannot move goods outside the store to display and sell.
• They must limit the number of workers inside the facility as described in the Order.
• They must have direct access to a sidewalk, street, outdoor walkway, parking lot, or alley for pickup.

• The Order also allows businesses that support these retail businesses to resume operating, including those that manufacture goods sold at these stores and businesses that provide warehousing and distribution services.
• Outdoor museums, historical sites, and publicly accessible gardens are allowed to reopen, but visitors are restricted to outdoor areas.

Which Additional Activities Can Open?  

• The May 22nd Order allows people to participate in car parades, so long as they ride in cars only with members of their households and do not leave the cars during the parade or stop to gather at a fixed location.  Bicycles and motorcycles are not allowed to join car parades.

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The May 22nd Order updates the Social Distancing Protocol to incorporate new State of California requirements for training personnel and other measures:

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1. To operate, all businesses must complete a Social Distancing Protocol using the for new template or update their Protocols to incorporate the new requirements. A copy of the Protocol must be distributed to all employees. Click here to download the new template. The template includes the following:

• Signage & Distribution
• Personnel Training
• Individual Control Measures & Screenings
• Hand Washing & Hand-Sanitizing Protocols
• Cleaning & Disinfecting Protocols
• Measures to Maintain Social Distancing
• Measures to Prevent Unnecessary Contact
• Compliance Procedures

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2. All businesses must print and post signage in a prominent place near the entrance to the businesses to show that they are implementing the Social Distancing Protocol to keep their staff and customers safe from COVID-19,

• (1) a COVID-19 PREPARED Sign
• (2) a Social Distancing Protocol Visitor Information Sheet.
• Both the Sign and Visitor Information Sheet can be found here.

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3. All businesses must post signage required in the Social Distancing Protocol to educate customers about health and safety requirements. Sign templates are available on the County’s website​.  

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1. Target has made this document available to all retailers.

• This documents offers suggestions and ideas that retailers large and small may want to consider as they look at opening their doors.

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2. The International Council of Shopping Centers put together a best practice for re-opening guide for all retailers outlining tips and advice for:

• Planning
• Communication
• Landlords/Center Management
• Technical Systems
• Retail Tenants
• Restaurant Tenants

Click here to see the full reopening guide.

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• This Tenant's Guide to Rent Relief suggests ways tenants can communicate with their landlords in negotiating rent concessions during these months of shelter in place.

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