The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC) Environmental Health Disease Prevention (EHDP) updated its guidance for restaurants and bars to eliminate the requirement for restaurants, bars, businesses that are open to the public, or places of worship to maintain records of temperature screenings and one point of contact for each party.
The latest COVID-19 workplace guidance for businesses in the CNMI can be downloaded at www.staysafecnmi.com/livecovidsafe. The COVID-19 workplace guidance provides public health recommendations intended to help employers make workplaces safer.
For businesses that serve prepared meals, the EHDP regulates food handlers and sanitation permitting, among other responsibilities, and sets rules for restaurants.
Restaurants and bars must adhere to the following:
• Temperature screening of all employees and patrons prior to entering the establishment for dine-in services. The recording of temperatures is not required.
• Enforce hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and use of well-fitted face masks by employees when near other employees and customers.
• Ensure adequate supplies to support healthy hand hygiene practices for both employees and customers.
• Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks to ensure that customers remain at least 6 feet apart in queues or ask customers to wait in their cars or away from the establishment while waiting to pick up food.
• Post signs on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, how to properly wash hands, provide notice that no one with symptoms will be permitted inside, and how to properly wear a face covering.
• Post “one-way” flow signs for entrance and “one-way” flow signs for exit to maintain crowd control.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize all surfaces which come in contact with food after each use.
• Send employees with symptoms home.
• Discontinue preset tables—condiments, utensils, and tableware removed from table.
• Ensure that all staff complete online ServSafe trainings specific to COVID-19 transmission reduction within one week of offering services.
Restaurants/bars which offer dine-in services must adhere to the following additional rules:
• All parties must remain at least 6 feet apart and are encouraged to use outdoor seating whenever possible.
• Offer self-service food or drinks, such as buffet style dining or beverage refill stations, with precautions in place (e.g., use of disposable gloves, social distancing).
The Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the CHCC continue to encourage residents within the CNMI to live COVID-19 safe. For a guidebook on how to live COVID-19 safe, visit www.staysafecnmi.com/livecovidsafe.
• Wear a well-fitted mask.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, avoid touching your face, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve. o Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available
• Watch your distance from persons outside your household.
• Stay home as much as possible, especially if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Avoid unnecessary travel or public places.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
• Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces frequently, such as door knobs, faucets, light switches, countertops, etc.
• Choose drive-thru, take-out, or delivery options, or outdoor seating, if available, when dining in.
• Ensure enough supply of all medicines in case you need to isolate.
• Monitor your health daily. Be alert for COVID-19 symptoms:
o Fever or chills
o Cough
o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
o Fatigue
o Muscle or body aches, or headaches
o New loss of taste or smell
o Sore throat
o Congestion or runny nose
o Nausea or vomiting
o Diarrhea
To obtain general information about the CNMI COVID-19 response, call the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force Infoline at (670) 488-0211, available every day, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., or visit www.staysafecnmi.com.
For more information about CHCC, follow @cnmichcc on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; visit www.chcc.gov.mp; or call (670) 234-8950.
This health advisory may be found online at http://www.chcc.gov.mp/pressrelease.html.
