Business owners and customers in Broward received some more good news Thursday.
County officials issued an executive order that allows nonprofit organizations, dog groomers, and nearly any other business to reopen. Gyms, however, are required to remain closed.
The order from Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry allows “every nonprofit, retail and commercial establishment” to get back to doing business.
It allows county and city staff “to enter establishments in areas that are open to the public,” in order to ensure that businesses are complying with the rules, which could include capacity, social distancing, face masks and sanitizing.
The county’s shutdowns went into effect in March, as the coronavirus began spreading in the region.
Broward County Emergency Order 20-12 clarifies business and resident responsibilities for adhering to CDC recommendations as the County takes further steps to reopen. https://t.co/hoD7drwWDv pic.twitter.com/IgETctcG60
— Broward County Government (@BrowardCounty) May 21, 2020
Certain parks and golf courses were allowed to reopen on April 28. Restaurants, salons, barber shops and retail stores reopened at 50 percent capacity last Monday.
Thursday’s executive order “helps clarify that some of the businesses that we got specific questions about before,” such as dog groomers and seamstress shops, according to county spokeswoman Margaret Stapleton.
Broward’s beaches remain closed, as do public pools, tattoo shops, bars, nightclubs, banquet halls, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and vacation rentals.
In addition, hotels are closed to new reservations with the exception of “essential” guests, who include first responders, coronavirus patients, and people who are fleeing domestic violence.
Gyms must also remain closed, or risk fines of $15,000 a day if they reopen without permission.