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1. When will the emergency order expire?

In response to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and improvements in local case, hospitalization and vaccination rates, the Clay County Public Health Emergency Order expires Friday, May 14 at noon.

2. Are there mask requirements in Clay County?

As of May 14 at noon, the Clay County Public Health Emergency Order will no longer be in place. Masks will no longer be required indoors or outdoors unless a business, organization, or event chooses to continue to require them.

However, in accordance with CDC guidance, anyone who is not fully vaccinated should continue to take precautions such as wearing a well-fitted mask in public, staying six feet or more from those they don't live with and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

3. What are things businesses can do to keep employees and customers safe?

• Strongly encourage COVID vaccination.
• Allow employees to work from home to the maximum extent feasible.
• Require all employees and customers to wear masks or other face coverings.
• Allow employees to maintain at least six feet of distance from each other and customers as much as feasible.
• Implement sick leave policies which allow any employee who shows any signs of COVID-19 infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath) to remain home until at least 3 days after symptoms have gone.
• Send home any employee who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms while at work.
• Provide easily-accessible hand sanitizer for employees and customers. 
• Encourage employees to regularly wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.
• Regularly disinfect commonly used surfaces such as door handles, counters, and payment terminals.
• Limit cash exchanges.

The Mid-America Regional Council has produced a guide to help businesses return to work safely. Additional information on protecting businesses and employees is available on the CDC website.

4. What are additional things restaurants, taverns, and bars can do to promote safety?

• Encourage or require all patrons to be seated while eating and/or drinking. Six-foot distancing is recommended to be maintained between different parties, as measured from back of chair to back of chair. This includes booths, which may necessitate closing off every other booth space in certain layouts.
• Encourage or require customers and employees to wear masks while not actively engaged in consuming food or beverages. This includes waiting to be seated, entering/exiting the establishment, and using restrooms or other facilities in the restaurant.
• Patrons who are exhibiting symptoms should not be allowed to dine.
• Employees who are exhibiting symptoms should not be allowed to work.
• Establishments must notify Clay County Public Health Center if any employee or customer is known to have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Require employees to wear protective face coverings at all times.
• Clean and sanitize all dining surfaces, including tables, chairs and highchairs between customers.
• Cleaning and sanitizing of frequently touched surfaces like doors, door handles, service counters, restrooms and waiting areas must be completed at a minimum of every 90 minutes.
• Restaurants must adhere to all requirements set forth in the Clay County Food Code, including handwashing frequency, employee health guidelines and proper sanitization of surfaces.
• Restaurants are encouraged to emphasize carry-out and delivery services, to minimize contact among people.
• Single-service menus that can be thrown away after one use are encouraged, but if cost-prohibitive, all menus are to be cleaned and sanitized between every customer.

5. What is CCPHC currently recommending to schools and early childcare?

Please visit our School Guidance page for the latest updates and recommendations from public health.