The Shelby County Health Department removed occupancy restrictions for all businesses in a new health directive that will take effect Wednesday.
Health directive no. 12, issued Tuesday, frees businesses and courts from a former restriction to 50% of listed capacity.
Businesses and courts are still bound to six-feet of social distancing within their establishments.
For businesses, the new directive reads:
"Limit the number of people who can enter a facility at any time to no more than the number of people inside that can easily maintain a minimum of 6-foot distance from each other at all times, except when necessary to complete a business transaction such as payment or delivery of goods."
Joan Carr, spokesperson for the department, confirmed the change in an email.
"Yes, all occupancy restrictions are lifted," Carr said.
Businesses are still bound to any applicable state and federal requirements. It was not immediately clear Tuesday whether any of those requirements would place limits on capacity. The directive instructs businesses to "Comply with all federal and state business COVID-19 safety requirements, whether industry-specific or not, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements."
Courts are also bound in the directive to guidelines established by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
The change comes as the department is allowing bars (technically known as "limited service restaurants") to reopen, too.
More: Memphis bars can reopen after Shelby County Health Department eases COVID-19 restrictions
Those limited service restaurants must adhere to the same restrictions as full-service restaurants.
Restrictions include:
- No seating at physical bars
- Alcohol must be served to patrons seated at a table and ordering food
- Dining is limited to two hours per table
- Alcohol sales must end at 10 p.m. nightly (curbside pick-up and delivery of food only can continue past 10 p.m.).
This summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the health department and COVID-19 task force produce a "tripwires" document that would trigger openings and closings of businesses.
Shelby County does not meet at least two, but as many as four, of the five metrics that govern reopening bars.
COVID-19: A look at 'tripwires' governing openings and closings in Shelby County
Commercial Appeal reporters Jennifer Chandler and Sam Hardiman contributed.
Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino
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