WPB Officials Caution Residents, Businesses, Visitors, To Remain Vigilant In Response To COVID-19

From City of West Palm Beach:

September 28, 2020

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James and the City of West Palm Beach Emergency Management team remind residents, business owners and visitors to remain vigilant in response to COVID-19.

“While recent COVID-19 data and the Governor’s Phase 3 announcement are both very encouraging signs for our community, we must remain vigilant,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “We still have a long way to go in our fight against COVID-19. I encourage everyone to continue to take steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. By wearing facial coverings, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands, we can help to ensure West Palm Beach is safe and healthy.”

Recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-244. Now in effect, Executive Order 20-244 moves all of Florida’s 67 counties into Phase 3. The Order:

• Removes state-level restrictions on businesses, such as restaurants.

• Provides that no COVID-19 emergency ordinance may prevent an individual from working or operating a business, giving Floridians and business owners needed certainty and the ability to provide for themselves and their families.

• Provides that restaurants may not be limited by a COVID-19 emergency order by any local government to less than 50% of their indoor capacity

• Suspends all outstanding fines and penalties, and the collection of such moving forward, applied against individuals related to COVID-19.

Additionally, Palm Beach County issued EMERGENCY ORDER 27 which eliminates restrictions on restaurant hours and removes restrictions on the hours restaurants can operate, which were previously mandated in Emergency Order 2020-018, which was amended by Emergency Order 2020-023. Subsequently, Palm Beach County Emergency Orders 20-018 and 2020-023 have been repealed.

A directive on facial coverings/masks remains in effect for our community. Palm Beach County’s Emergency Order 2020-012 was extended by Emergency Order 2020-026 requiring face coverings in Palm Beach County. Per Palm Beach County, the order directs the following:

• Facial coverings must be worn by all persons, other than those specifically exempted, while obtaining any good or service or otherwise visiting or working in any business or establishment, including entering, exiting, and otherwise moving around within the establishment.
• Facial coverings must be worn by all persons in public places where social distancing in accordance with CDC guidelines is not possible or not being practiced.
• All persons accessing governmental buildings for purposes of conducting public business, visitation, contracting, maintenance, delivery, or any other activity requiring a presence in a governmental building shall wear facial coverings as defined by the CDC at all times while present in the building.

Businesses and establishments must still ensure compliance with the order’s provisions and shall establish a process for verification of compliance upon customer entry into the establishment. Specific signage must be displayed in the business and must be posted conspicuously for easy visibility at all entry points. Click here for Retail Sign. Restaurant Sign.

Guidance about what a facial covering includes is contained in the order.

For additional information about COVID-19 including resources available to residents, please visit: https://www.wpb.org/our-city/mayor-s-office/covid-19-start-page.

This press release was produced by the City of West Palm Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.