ALTUS - Altus city council members approved a set of emergency orders in response to the Coronavirus outbreak during a monthly meeting of the council Tuesday, March 17.
Emergency orders took effect immediately and set to continue until at least 6 p.m. April 6. Each of the nine points include:
• Gatherings of people must be limited to 50 persons or less.
• Buffet food service must be stopped immediately until further order.
• City-issued permits for parades, activities or other gatherings are revoked.
• Food handlers must wear gloves made of poly material, vinyl, nitrile, plastic or similar material.
• Any food handler exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 infection must cease food service immediately.
• All restaurants, bars, lounges, food trucks, food courts, and similar establishments must not exceed one-half of the maximum allowable occupancy capacity. If one-half of the maximum allowable capacity is more than 50 persons, then the temporary maximum allowable capacity shall be 50 persons.
• No more than six persons may be seated at a table at any restaurant, bar, lounge, food truck, food court or similar establishment; unless all persons seated at the table are immediate family members (father, mother, siblings of the same immediate family).
• All non-essential businesses must close at or before 10 p.m. Non-essential include all businesses other than: (a) gasoline/fuel stations, (b) pharmacies, (c) grocery stores, and (d) financial institutions.
• All businesses must provide at least one hour at the beginning of the business day for the establishment in which seniors and those people that are health compromised may shop or obtain service separate and apart from the remainder of the community.
Violations of the emer- gency orders are classified as misdemeanor offences under the city’s municipal code Section 9-34.
RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE ORDINANCE
Not included in the emergency orders, but recommendations are measures being encouraged such as social distancing of at least six feet between two people, restaurants with dine-in capability being asked to encourage dine-out options for customers, work and educational opportunities from home if possible, avoidance of social gatherings and groups of more than 10 people, avoiding discretionary travel, avoidance of visitation to hospitals and nursing home except for providing of critical assistance, practicing of good hygiene, frequent hand washing, and review of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.