Florida Reopening Update: May 18 Miami-Dade County
Effective Monday, May 18 at 12:01 AM: Emergency Order 23-20
This order officially brings Miami-Dade County into Phase 1 of reopening. Specifically, it allows for the opening of all retail and commercial establishments, or any other establishment or facility,” with certain conditions. Conditions are set forth both in the order and in a lengthy “New Normal Guide,” herein referred to as the “Handbook.” It clarifies that no establishment is required to comply with provisions listed as recommendations in the Handbook, but all are urged to do so. The order does require, however, that activity and site-specific restrictions and requirements listed in the Handbook in bold must be followed by applicable establishments.
The order also lists establishments that must remain closed. They are:
- Beaches
- Apartment, condominium and hotel pools and spas;
- Bars, pubs, night clubs, banquet halls, cocktail lounges, cabarets, and breweries except for take-out and delivery services as authorized pursuant to Emergency Order 03-20;
- Movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, arcades, gymnasiums and fitness studios;
- Hotels, commercial lodging establishments, except for those serving essential lodgers;
- Tattoo parlors
- Massage parlors
The Order requires any establishment that has an on-site employee or contractor who tests positive to close for the shorter of:
- The time needed for all staff to be tested and for the establishment to be deep-sanitized; or
- 14-days from the date such employee or contractor was last onsite at such establishment.
It requires all persons working in or visiting an establishment, including but not limited to airports, seaports and mass transit facilities and vehicles, to wear a facial covering with limited exceptions, and specifies that additional PPE may be required for persons engaged in certain activities as detailed in the Handbook.
The order provides additional information for restaurants located in the unincorporated municipal services area of Miami-Dade County, who want to offer outdoor dining. The details related to outdoor dining are included in “Exhibit B.”
The order does not limit the number of attendees present at a religious service but urges individuals to practice social distancing.
Please note that it does allow municipalities to impose more stringent standards.