Anchorage mandates: Customers must wear masks

By
Suzanne Downing
-
139

RESTAURANTS WILL NOW COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION FOR THE GOVERNMENT

As Anchorage opens up for limited business on Monday, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz says that all employees and customers must wear masks inside stores.

Berkowitz said the Municipality worked with local businesses and public health experts to develop safety measures against the coronavirus known as COVID-19 for the following sectors of “nonessential” businesses:

• Food – restaurants that provide table service
• Retail – general retail stores, such as clothing, sporting goods, books, greenhouses, gifts, etc.
• Personal care services – beauty, barber and hair salons; cosmological services, tattoo shops, body piercing, etc.
• Non-critical businesses that interact with the public – service-focused businesses that include a retail-style storefront such as bait shacks, carpet stores, etc.
• Non-critical professional services that do not interact with the public – such as law offices, architectural, engineering and environmental agencies, consulting services, etc.

Available now in the Must Read Alaska shop. Proceeds to go to Covenant House.

All businesses need to have COVID-19 mitigation plans; and employees and customers must wear face coverings; and practice physical distancing of six feet. Hand sanitizer must be available to the public to use in establishments.

Those businesses that can meet the criteria may begin operations on Monday, April 27, Berkowitz said. The lists of required and recommended safety measures for each sector may be found online at www.muni.org/COVID-19.

For retail stores, Anchorage residents can expect these regulations to apply:

  • Employees and customers must adhere to 6-foot physical distancing protocols.
  • Only one adult per household per visit to a store.
  • Employees and customers shall wear face coverings. Businesses should post signage notifying customers of the requirement to wear face coverings at entrance(s).
  • Frequent hand washing by employees, and adequate supply of soap, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and paper towels available onsite.
  • Hand sanitizer publicly available for customers.
  • Hourly touch-point sanitization (workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, restrooms, etc.)
  • Cleaning and disinfecting must be conducted in compliance with CDC protocols
  • Maximum capacity is no more than 20 customers or 25% of the approved occupancy, based on fire and building codes, whichever is less.
  • Walk-in visits to restaurants are prohibited.
  • Reservations, call-ahead, or other form of advance check-in required for dine-in service. 
  • Businesses are required to maintain reservation/ guest log records for 30 days. This information will be made available to the government.
  • Reservation/guest log must contain first and last name, and phone number.
  • Fabric face coverings required for all restaurant employees and encouraged for customers except while eating.