Broward County orders all non-essential businesses to close to stop spread of COVID-19
Broward County is now the second county in Florida to order all non-essential businesses to close in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Like Miami-Dade’s Thursday order, Broward has a lengthy list of essential businesses exempted from the order, including healthcare providers, gas stations, banks and news outlets. It goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
“While these are incredibly painful steps to take with devastating short term and long term impacts in our community, the potential impacts of COVID-19 to our residents and visitors is much more devastating ,” Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said in a Sunday evening press conference. ”We must take every responsible action we have to quickly mitigate the spread of this dangerous virus.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday closing beaches and businesses in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. His order applied to “all movie theatres, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, arcades, gymnasiums, fitness studios and beaches,” but the Broward order expands the closures to cover all non-essential businesses.
Broward has been neck and neck with Miami-Dade for the most cases of COVID-19 all week. As of Sunday evening, Broward had 217 cases. When combined with Miami-Dade’s 227 cases, the two South Florida counties make up 23 percent of the state’s total cases, which has spurred stricter standards for public spaces and businesses.
With this new Broward order, owners of non-essential businesses are allowed to maintain “minimum basic operations,” including security, payroll and setting employees up for remote work, as long as they follow federal guidelines on social distancing and cleanliness.
Like in Miami-Dade, Broward’s order said hotels, motels and home-sharing services are not allowed to accept any new reservations unless the clients are “essential lodgers.” That means first responders, healthcare professionals, patients, government employees and people seeking shelter from domestic violence, among other groups.
The order doesn’t limit religious gatherings but recommends participants follow proper CDC guidelines on convening in groups of fewer than 10.
The lengthy list of essential businesses includes farms, grocery stores, convenience stores, a broad array of healthcare providers, businesses that provide services for vulnerable populations, news outlets, gas stations, banks, mechanics and hardware stores.
Restaurants and food service businesses may remain open provided they follow the rules already in place, which only allow for delivery and take out.
On Facebook Live, Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine walked viewers through the county’s list of essential businesses and answered their specific questions. Barbers should close, he said, but home healthcare business can stay open.
“If your business doesn’t deal with the public and you can practice safe social distancing, you can open that business in Broward County,” he said.
For childcare services, they can stay open for the children of essential business operators if they serve groups of fewer than ten. All toys and surfaces have to be cleaned, and no children showing symptoms of COVID-19 should be allowed inside.
“I know some people are saying ‘why do we have them at all,’ but if you look at some of the essential services that are needed, in order to do some of these they need to have some child care availability,” Udine said.
Broward County has a hotline to answer questions about COVID-19, available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the week: 954 357 9500
This story was originally published March 22, 2020 at 6:45 PM.
