These ‘essential’ stores, businesses will stay open during Miami’s coronavirus shutdown
Grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and banks will not be affected by Miami-Dade County’s decision to close down hundreds of stores and businesses to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
The order also will not affect police, fire-rescue or dozens of other essential stores and services, including businesses that have the capability of interacting with customers solely by telephone or the Internet.
On April 1, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez issued a new emergency order stating that all adult daycare centers in the county — including those located within cities — must close by 11:59 p.m. Friday. The move comes weeks after daytime activity centers for seniors were shut down. The new order does not affect live-in facilities, nursing homes and assisted living centers.
Here are some of the essential businesses and service allowed to stay open. Remember to call ahead for hours of operation as some stores and businesses might have limited hours during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Health, medicine and therapy
▪ Hospitals and urgent care centers
▪ Pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens
▪ Doctors and dentists’ offices
▪ Other healthcare providers, including clinics, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapists, mental health professionals, psychiatrists and therapists.
Food
▪ Grocery stores and supermarkets such as Publix, Winn-Dixie and Sedano’s.
▪ Restaurants (takeout and delivery only)
▪ Convenience stores
▪ Food banks
▪ Pet stores
▪ Food cultivation, including farming, livestock and fishing
▪ Any store that sells groceries and necessary non-grocery or household products such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies. This means you can still visit Target and Walmart.
Transportation and Delivery
▪ Gas stations (Shell, Chevron, Mobil, Wawa, etc.), auto-supply, auto-repair and related facilities.
▪ U.S. post offices and other businesses that provide mailing and shipping services or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences such as UPS, FedEx and Amazon.
▪ Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers using cars, trucks, buses or train. You can still call Uber and Lyft.
Services
▪ Police, fire-rescue and other emergency services.
▪ Banks and related financial institutions
▪ Media outlets and other media services including the Miami Herald, television stations, newspapers and radio.
▪ Waste management services, including garbage collection and disposal
▪ Coin laundries, dry cleaners and laundry service providers
▪ Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities for those in need
▪ Schools, including college and universities (all are required to teach online until further notice)
▪ Telecommunication providers, which include phone companies, cable and Internet providers (Verizon, Comcast, At&T, etc.)
▪ Factories, manufacturing facilities, bottling plants or other industrial uses
▪ Hardware stores
▪ Contractors, exterminators, appliance repair, landscape and pool care businesses and other service providers that help maintain homes and other structures. Open construction sites, architectural, engineering or land surveying services are also open.
▪ Home-based care for seniors, adults or children. Childcare facilities providing services for essential employees are still allowed to operate but under stricter conditions.
▪ Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, senior residential facilities. Remember to contact the facility as many of these places might have changed visiting procedures or operating hours to meet CDC guidelines during the pandemic.
Businesses that provide office supplies to people working from home will remain open. Businesses that provide support or supplies to essential stores or services will also remain open.
▪ Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, that are necessary to comply with legally mandated activities.
For a full list of services expected to stay open, visit www.miamidade.gov/information/library/coronavirus-emergency-order-07-20-businesses.pdf
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 2:33 PM.
