PUBLIC NOTICE
Park County Public Health Order – March 19, 2020
It has been determined that a method to control the community spread of the coronavirus is to limit large gatherings of people. This order may reduce the likelihood that individuals that may have been exposed to the COVID-19 will spread the virus to others. Therefore, the Public Health Order addresses the following:
- Gatherings are limited to 10 people for social, spiritual, and recreational activities including, but not limited to, community, civic, public, leisure, faith based, or sporting events; parades, concerts, festivals, conventions, fundraisers, and similar activities.
These numbers include employees!
These restrictions do not apply to grocery stores and other stores selling essential items, Yellowstone Regional Airport, government facilities, pharmacies, hospitals or medical clinics.
The following establishments are hereby closed in Park County, Wyoming:
Child Care Centers, excluding those facilities caring exclusively for children of essential personnel; restaurants, bars, nightclubs, saloons, taverns, tasting rooms; employee cafeterias; self-serve buffets; salad bars; unpackaged self-serve food services; golf clubs and country clubs; communal pools, hot tubs, locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms, fitness centers, gyms, conference rooms, and museums.
Restaurants may remain open if the restaurant notifies the Park County Health Officer that the restaurant intends to remain open and follow these procedures:
- Prohibition on all dine-in food service, whether inside or outside the establishment and prohibition on admitting guests, patrons, customers inside the establishment.
- Allow curbside take-out or drive-thru food service, discouraging the customer from using cash as a payment method. Staff who take cash or credit card payments shall use cleansing measures between transactions, including use of best practices approved by the Park County Health Officer. Where possible, online and telephonic credit card transactions are highly encouraged (e.g. Venmo, Squarecash, Googlepay, Apple Pay and similar payment apps). Staff who handle cash or credit cards shall not be involved in the preparation, handling, or delivery of food.
- Employees must take food items to the curb exchange through the vehicle window.
- For hotel restaurants, food items may only be delivered as room service or curbside service as described above.
- Management shall ensure, on a daily basis, that no employee who presents symptoms of illness will be permitted to work.
General Business (Business Occupancies)
All businesses not listed above remaining open to the public are limited to 10 people and shall make an attempt to implement measures of social distancing, including settings to be able to accommodate patrons with at least six (6) feet distance from other patrons, to help prevent initial exposure and secondary transmission to our most vulnerable populations. These measures are especially important for people over 60 years old and those with chronic health conditions due to higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The full order can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-Nw-6OystDVNLXKhIID9SShqjQMXp9i7
Behaviors that are not specifically part of the order but should continue:
- Stay at home when you are sick.
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds OR use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (do not use bare hand).
- When experiencing respiratory symptoms, call healthcare provider before going to clinic or emergency department. Because there is no treatment for COVID-19, go to the ER only when symptoms worsen to the point that you are likely to need admission to the hospital for supportive care (e.g. respiratory difficulty).
- Avoid crowds and sick individuals.
- Avoid touching face with unwashed hands.
- Do not hoard supplies unnecessarily.
- Entities providing essential food, vehicle fuel, electricity, natural gas, and communications should take steps to put their staff at low risk of infection and ensure uninterrupted delivery of these essential services.
- Be aware of family, friends, and neighbors that need assistance. Maintain contact with them by phone. Prescriptions can be picked up, food can be delivered, and other assistance rendered with minimal contact.
Aaron R. Billin, MD, MS, FAAFP, MFAWM Park County Health Officer
