Orange County Announces Guidelines for Reopening of Businesses

The Economic Recovery Task Force proposed seven guidelines businesses can follow as they reopen.

Orlando, Fla. – Today, the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force announced seven guidelines for the reopening of all businesses and industries in the Orlando region. The announcement comes following Governor DeSantis’ executive order calling for a phased approach to reopen the Florida economy beginning Monday, May 4.

Holding more than a dozen general and working group virtual meetings within the past week, the taskforce worked to create a thoughtful and methodical plan that emphasizes safety and wellbeing to phase our community’s economy into recovery. The general guidelines businesses can follow as they reopen include:

1. Practice social distancing
2. Stay home when feeling sick
3. Wear protective face covering
4. Conduct health screenings
5. Sanitize and wash hands frequently
6. High-risk individuals should shelter and work from home, whenever possible
7. Recommend temperature check for all staff. All temperatures of 100 or above must go home.

“The business community is grateful for Mayor Demings’ leadership and measured approach to getting our economy moving again,” said Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership.

“Because of our region’s leadership our community has effectively slowed the spread of COVID-19, and together, we’ll continue to do what’s best to ensure health and safety as well as economic recovery.”

Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership

The announcement was made during an Orange County news conference during which Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings shared the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Florida Department of Health in Orange County.

“For the past two weeks, some of the best and brightest minds in our community have been meeting almost daily to come up with guidelines and a plan to reopen our county that is sensible and safe,” Demings said. “Many of our Task Force members are from global companies and know what has been proven to work in other parts of the world.”

Mayor Demings sent a letter to the Governor asking to do whatever is necessary to open personal care facilities like hair salons, nail salons and barbershops – as long as they are operating within the Governor’s Phase I guidelines. 

A full recommendation from the Task Force will be given to Mayor Demings by Monday, May 4. Mayor Demings is working with the County Attorney to issue an Executive Order in the next 24 hours to incorporate many of these recommendations to reopen Orange County – and ensure the Order is in line with surrounding counties. However, the work of the Economic Recovery Task Force will continue.