Phase III and What That Means for Your Business

June 24, 2020

Nashville shifted into Phase Three of Mayor John Cooper’s reopening plan Monday. Public health officials will keep the city in Phase Three for at least four weeks or until July 20, with a chance of the restrictions being extended.

The city’s 14-day case trend remains elevated, but the Coronavirus Task Force said hospital capacity is in good shape along with a continued increase in testing.

Businesses permitted to open during Phase Two like restaurants, gyms, hair salons, and retail stores can operate with the same restrictions as Phase Two. Metro Public Health is requiring businesses to have all employees wear facial coverings when interacting with other employees or with the public. Open businesses are also required to have signage at every door asking people to wear facial coverings. The health department is encouraging businesses to make customers wear masks upon entry, but that is not currently a mandate.

PHASE 3 GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES

During Phase Three, all businesses open shall continue to:

Screen daily all employees with symptom checks. Employees with symptoms or a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater must leave the premises immediately.
Post conspicuous signage with information about health precautions for patrons, employees, and staff, including safe social distancing measures and practicing good hand hygiene.
Advise employees with any symptoms of illness to be tested and to stay home until they receive medical clearance. Establish policies that make it possible for employees to isolate and quarantine.
Require employees who interact with the public, or who cannot maintain a safe social distance from their co-workers, to wear cloth face coverings or masks. Social distancing can be accomplished through physical barriers between people or groups.
Sanitize all items, supplies or equipment after each use on or by each customer.

Bars Serving Food and Restaurants

Bars serving food & restaurants may continue to operate at 75% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less.

Bar areas may open to the public at 50% or less of the maximum seated counter capacity and adhere to proper social distancing. No standing at the bar is allowed.
No parties of more than six people.
Self-service food, beverage and shared condiments are not permitted.
Restaurants are required to clean all surfaces after use by a patron.
The use of disposable, virtual or no-touch menus is recommended.
Take-out alcohol sales will remain.
Live music or entertainment is allowed, subject to the conditions set out Public Health Order 7.
No dance floors permitted. To the extent possible, tables can be placed on dance floors or the dance floor area shall be physically closed off.
Ancillary or participatory activities including, but not limited to, arcade games, pool, football, darts, laser tag, or similar activities may open and should be cleaned between each use. Cleaning supplies should be provided alongside such participatory activities for customers to use between each use.

Commercial and Retail Establishments

Commercial and retail establishments may continue to operate at 75% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less.

Sanitize shopping carts, baskets, and all other items after each customer’s use.
No sampling or testing of food, beverage, personal care products, or similar product shall be allowed.

Close Contact Personal Service Businesses

Close contact personal service businesses may continue to operate at 50% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less.

No sampling or testing of food, beverage, personal care products, or similar product shall be allowed.

Gyms and Exercise Facilities

Gyms, fitness & exercise facilities, including swimming pools and specialty fitness studios may continue to operate at 50% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less. Expanded social distancing requirements (10 feet) for more vigorous aerobic activities remain in place.

Indoor and outdoor pools limited capacity is based on the posted maximum bather load limit, provided the pool facility adhere to proper social distancing.
Sports and recreation leagues or sports tournaments may resume. All team members and spectators shall adhere to proper social distancing. Indoor facilities used for recreation leagues and sports tournaments are subject to the requirements and guidance for gyms, exercise, and fitness facilities listed in this section.
No steam room or sauna shall be allowed.
Modify or limit group fitness activities to facilitate proper social distancing, to the extent possible.
Limit the use of shared exercise equipment (free weights, medicine balls, jump ropes, etc.) or pool equipment (fins, kickboards, floats, etc.), to the extent possible.
Increase the frequency of sanitation of restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms. Close unneeded restroom and locker room facilities, to the extent possible.
Close bath and workout towel services, to the extent possible.

Museums

Museums may continue to operate at 50% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less. Foot traffic control measures should remain in place.

Interactive exhibits may open. Sanitize interactive exhibit components after each customer’s use. Install hand sanitizing stations near these spaces and provide cleaning supplies alongside such interactive exhibits for customers to use between each use.
Guided tours may operate at 50% or less of regular capacity, provided the tour adhere to proper social distancing.
Public programming may operate at 50% or less of regular capacity, provided the public program adhere to proper social distancing.
No field trips or group visits shall be allowed.

Smaller Venue – Minimal Touch Entertainment

Smaller venue, minimal-touch entertainments may continue to operate at 50% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less. Ancillary activities (arcades, game rooms) may resume operation.

Sanitize all shared implements (bowling balls, golf clubs, steering wheels, etc.) between each use.
Ancillary or participatory activities including, but not limited to, arcade games, pool, foosball, darts, laser tag, or similar activities may open and should be cleaned between each use. Cleaning supplies should be provided alongside such participatory activities for customers to use between each use.
Guided tours may operate at 50% or less of regular capacity, provided the tour adhere to proper social distancing.
Public programming may operate at 50% or less of regular capacity, provided the public program adhere to proper social distancing.
No field trips or group visits shall be allowed.

Tours, Transportainment, and Events

Tours, transportainment, bars not serving food, adult entertainment, social clubs, small music venues, and event space venues are permitted to begin operations at 50% capacity or to the maximum occupancy that can maintain social distancing, whichever is less. Small music venues are defined as those venues with a regular capacity of 1,500 or less.

Event space venues and small music venues must cap maximum event attendance or crowd size at 250 people or less. At such events, seating must be provided for at minimum half of the total attendees.
Bar areas may open to the public at 50% or less of the maximum seated counter capacity and adhere to proper social distancing. No standing at the bar is allowed.
Live music or entertainment is allowed, subject to the conditions set out Public Health Order 7.
No dance floors permitted. To the extent possible, tables can be placed on dance floors or the dance floor area shall be physically closed off. Seated performances are recommended for event and music venues.
No self-serve buffets, food, beverage, or shared condiment stations shall be allowed.

Guidance of Residence

Additionally, the following apply for all residents and businesses in Davidson County during Phase Three:
Social distancing should remain universally in effect.
Live entertainment may continue, subject to the conditions set out in Public Health Order 7. Social distancing protocols should be observed between performers. There shall be a minimum of 15 feet between performers and customers. All performance equipment must be sanitized between users. All dance floors shall remain closed in Phase Three,
Metro Parks community centers, golf course clubhouses, museums, Sportsplex, nature centers, dog parks, basketball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, sports fields, skate parks and splash pads may reopen. Operation of Metro Parks facilities is at the discretion of the Metro Parks Department, in consultation with the Metro Public Health Department.
Except when performing essential services, those over age 65 and those with high-risk factors (including chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma; serious heart conditions; people with compromised immune systems, either through cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplant, or genetic or acquired immune deficiencies; the prolonged use of corticosteroids) should remain safer at home to the extent possible.
Work from home should continue whenever possible, and cloth face coverings or masks should be worn in public.
Gatherings are recommended to be kept at 25 people or fewer, to the extent possible. Intimate gatherings are the most high-risk setting for transmission of COVID-19. Community gatherings such as block parties, backyard events, house parties, etc. are recommended to remain limited to small groups during Phase Three.