Montana Governor Steve Bullock speaks to Montanans by electronic means Wednesday on opening up Montana for business. Governor gave guidance on businesses, restaurants and other businesses in opening up. (Photo by Jonathan McNiven)
Starting this Sunday, stay-at-home restrictions regarding COVID-19 will be lifted, announced Governor Steve Bullock, and churches may hold services with some social distancing requirements in place. He outlined three phases projected to reopen the state at a press conference on Wednesday.
On or after April 27, next Wednesday, main street businesses may open doors, “just not like before the virus,” said the Governor.
Restaurants, coffee shops, distillers, bars, hair salons, tattoo parlors, etc. may open but “that doesn’t mean it is back to normal,” said Bullock. For most businesses it will mean operating at half capacity and they will have to make provisions for social distancing and continued hygiene measures. All customers will have to be out of the business by 11:30 pm. The businesses will have to have time to bring back employees and put them through training to do business in a different way, said the Governor.
Other businesses are expected to continue teleworking as much as possible or keeping alternating schedules that reduce the numbers of employees in the work place, as well as maintaining six foot distances.
The Governor urged everyone to work with local health officials to develop plans to reopen. The local County Health Officer can impose more stringent measures, said the Governor, and he urged that citizens respect those orders.
Businesses like movie theaters, gyms, bowling alleys or large events will have to remain closed.
It is uncertain when the next phase to reopen will come. The Governor said he did not know when he could announce movement to the second phase. That decision will be determined by the data and progress being made on reducing the number of virus cases.
As of this Sunday places of worship may reopen with strict distancing protocols. Families can sit together but there has to be sufficient room between families, directed the Governor.
In two weeks, on May 7, local school boards may make the decision of whether to have students return to the classroom or to continue remote learning.
Travel bans will remain in place for the time being.
Senior living or assisted living facilities are required to prohibit visitations.
Child care facilities may remain open following local guidelines.
In general the population is encouraged to maintain all of the guidelines regarding social distancing, keeping six feet apart, washing hands, avoid groups of more than ten, etc.
In Phase 2, according to the guidelines issued, all businesses can remain operational, adhering to the physical distancing requirements.
Restaurants, bars, casinos, will operate the same way as in Phase 1, only with increased capacity.
Gyms, pools, theaters, etc., can become operational with reduced capacity, and only if they can adhere to strict physical distancing, and they exercise frequent sanitation protocols.
Large events and places of assembly can be enlarged to gatherings of 50 or less.
Phase 3 will allow full business operations, and gatherings of unlimited size. Vulnerable individuals can resume public interactions, but with physical distancing practices still being followed.
