Safer-At-Home Guidance, April 9, 2020
State of Florida & Pinellas County “Safer-At-Home” Guidance
April 9, 2020, Version 5
*new updates since the previous version 1.
- Under the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners’ Resolution #20-17 effective March 20th, 2020 all public beaches and public beach parking remain closed.
- Under the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners’ “SAFER AT HOME” Order #20-20 effective March 26th, 2020: Places of public and private assembly are required to close, whether indoors or outdoors. This includes locations with amusement rides, water parks, pools (except for those in single-family home), zoos, museums, movie and other theaters, public playgrounds, bowling alleys, pool halls, concert and music halls, country clubs, social clubs and fraternal organizations. *All playgrounds are closed whether it is in a city or county park, recreation center, or private child care facility. All playground equipment is closed in Pinellas County regardless of where it is located (except for those at single-family homes).
- Under the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Executive Order #20-09 effective March 27th, 2020 recreational vessel occupancy is limited to no more than 10 persons per vessel and a minimum distance of 50 feet between recreational vessels and any other vessel shall be maintained.
- Under the Governor’s Executive Order #20-91 effective April 3rd, 2020:
a. | Senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) shall stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. “Senior Citizen” is not defined in the Governor’s Executive Order. |
b. | All persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities. |
- Under the Governor’s Executive Order and the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners’ Order all non-essential businesses shall close. These include, but are not limited to:
a. | Acupuncture (unless service is under the care of a medical provider) |
b. | Antique stores |
c. | Auction houses |
d. | Automotive tint, wash, detail, and accessory businesses |
e. | Beauty supply and skin care stores |
f. | Boat dealerships, rentals, and charters; kayak sales and rentals |
g. | Bookstores |
h. | Clothing and shoe retail, rental, or consignment |
i. | Craft, art, and hobby supply stores |
j. | Day/Beauty spas, hair or nail salons, and barber shops |
k. | Décor and Lighting sales businesses |
l. | Entertainment establishments |
m. | Florist businesses |
n. | Fitness, Dance, Pilates, and Yoga studios and gyms |
o. | Furniture stores |
p. | Jewelry stores and jewelry repair businesses |
q. | Massage (unless service is under the care of a medical provider) |
r. | *Mattress stores |
s. | Music and instrument stores; music lesson providers |
t. | Museums |
u. | Optical retail stores (non-prescription) |
v. | Painting, craft, or art studios |
w. | Pet grooming businesses (including mobile and those co-located with pet retail stores) |
x. | Pet sales and adoptions as a primary business (excluding on premises animal care) |
y. | Smoke, tobacco, CBD, or vape stores |
z. | Spa and hot tub sales businesses |
aa. | Sporting goods sales and repair businesses |
ab. | Stereo installation and sales businesses |
ac. | Tailors and alterations |
ad. | Tattoo and piercing services |
ae. | Toy retail stores or amusement rental businesses |
af. | *Video gaming retail or rentals |
ag. | Vitamin stores (unless service is under the care of a medical provider) |
ah. | Yard, garage, and estate sales |
- Under the Governor’s Executive Order and the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners’ Order essential services include but are not limited to:
a. | AA/NA and other meetings (requires social distancing) |
b. | Animal shelters/adoptions at shelters |
c. | *Appliance rental stores and repair |
d. | Automobile dealerships, repairs and maintenance, auto parts stores |
e. | Banks and financial institutions |
f. | Bicycle sales, repairs and maintenance |
g. | *Cell phone stores and repair |
h. | Community based organizations providing meals and social services |
i. | Critical trades: (Plumbers, Electricians, Exterminators, Security personnel, etc.) Fire and water damage restoration, appliance repair personnel, exterminators, and other service providers (such as landscape and pool maintenance service providers) who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other structures; |
j. | Firearm sales and ranges |
k. | First Responders, Police and Fire, Jails and Prisons |
l. | Flight schools (only if located on airport property) |
m. | Food and beverage (grocery stores, food banks, alcohol sales, restaurants: delivery, take-out or curbside delivery) |
n. | Funeral services |
o. | Garbage and Sanitation services |
p. | Gas Stations |
q. | Government operations |
r. | Hardware, garden, and supply stores |
s. | Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare operations |
t. | Hotel and lodging |
u. | Human Service operations (including community-based organizations providing meals) |
v. | Insurance |
w. | Laundromats |
x. | Law Firms (only for meeting court-ordered deadlines) |
y. | Manufacturing facilities |
z. | Moving companies |
aa. | Post offices and shipping services |
ab. | Process servers |
ac. | Realtors |
ad. | Stores: batteries, electronics, light bulbs, and office supplies |
ae. | Tax preparation services |
af. | Telemarketing (requires social distancing) |
ag. | Title companies |
ah. | Transportation: airports, ride sharing, taxis, and public transportation such as PSTA |
ai. | Utilities, Public Works and essential infrastructure |
aj. | Veterinarians |
ak. | Warehouses: food distribution, food manufacture, and product distribution |
- Under the Governor’s Executive Order and the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners’ Order essential activities include but are not limited to:
a. | Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues, or houses of worship |
b. | Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or a friend |
c. | Participating in recreational activities (consistent with social distancing guidelines) such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, golfing (golf courses may remain open) hunting, or swimming |
d. | Recreational boating (boat ramps, marinas, and bait/tackle shops may remain open) |
e. | Taking care of pets |
- The social distancing requirement in the CDC guidelines, the governor’s executive order, and the Board of County Commissioner’s Safer at Home order directs everyone not to congregate in groups of more than ten people and that people not of the same family unit must remain six feet apart. This must be adhered to in a practical way while using common sense. To clarify, the directives do not prohibit ten people from being in one building or place. More than ten people are allowed in grocery stores, churches, parks, etc.; however, they must be six feet apart from those not in their family unit. The following are some examples of what is permitted and prohibited:
a. | It is permitted to have eight people who are not part of the same family unit in a doctor’s office waiting room if they are six feet apart. |
b. | It is permitted to have a husband and wife sit next to each other in a doctor’s waiting room if they are separated from other patients by six feet. |
c. | It is permitted to have a family of four, family of three, and family of five all sit in the same pew of a place of worship if each family unit is separated by six feet. |
d. | It is prohibited to have six people who are not in the same family unit and who are not each separated by six feet in one church pew. |
e. | It is prohibited to have 15 customers who are not part of the same family unit all gathered less than six feet apart standing in front of the grocery store deli counter. |
f. | It is prohibited to have six people who are not part of the same family unit standing within six feet of one another along the rail on a pier watching the sunset. |
g. | It is permitted to have more than 10 people on the pier all watching the sunset if they are individuals or in family units and are separated by at least six feet. |