Vicksburg COVID-19 proclamation May 5 to June 1, 2020 – full text

PROCLAMATION AMENDING AND EXTENDING PROCLAMATION EFFECTIVE APRIL 27, 2020 IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, PLACING RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN BUSINESSES AND ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID -19)
AND IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND WELFARE ARE HEREBY ORDERED BEGINNING
AT 12:00 NOON ON TUESDAY MAY 5, 2020
UNTIL 8:00 A.M. JUNE 1, 2020

WHEREAS, pursuant to §§45-17-1 through 45-17-13, and §33-15-17 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended, the Mayor is authorized to proclaim that a Civil Emergency exists defined as any natural disaster or man-made calamity resulting in the death or injury of persons to such an extent that extraordinary measures must be taken to protect the public health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS, §21-19-3 gives municipalities the authority to make regulations to prevent the spreading of contagious or infectious diseases and to make quarantine laws for that purpose; and

WHEREAS, §33-15-17 authorizes the Mayor to control or restrict egress, ingress and movement within the local emergency area necessary to facilitate the protection of life and property; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to these laws, the Mayor is authorized to issue such orders as he deems necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Vicksburg, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that has spread across this nation is a worldwide pandemic and as of May 4, 2020, the Mississippi Department of Health has reported 7,877 positive confirmed cases and 310 deaths in Mississippi, 2 of which were in Warren County; and

WHEREAS, extraordinary measures related to the spread of the Coronavirus are necessary for the health, safety, welfare and good order to protect the public and a Proclamation was issued effective March 23, 2020 at Noon to employ certain measures which were intended to minimize the spread of the COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on March 29, 2020, an amendment to previous proclamations, policies and procedures for employees was adopted; and

WHEREAS, on April 2, 2020, a Proclamation was issued to require Shelter In Place, established a curfew and required closure of non-essential business and established regulations for other businesses and was continued until April 27, 2020; and

WHEREAS, on April 24, 2020, a Proclamation was adopted, effective April 27, 2020, to allow retail stores to open at 50% capacity; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to eliminate further spread of COVID-19, but to allow certain businesses to operate safely and outdoor recreation activities, it is necessary to amend previous Proclamations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE FLAGGS, JR., MAYOR OF THE CITY OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME PURSUANT TO §§45-17-1 THROUGH 45-17-13; §21-19-3 and  § 33-15-17 OF THE MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AS AMENDED, HEREBY ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION THAT A CIVIL EMERGENCY EXISTS IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, DUE TO THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE, DO HEREBY ORDER  THE FOLLOWING MEASURES UNTIL 8:00 A.M. ON JUNE 1, 2020 UNLESS MODIFIED, EXTENDED OR REPEALED BY SUBSEQUENT PROCLAMATION:

1. The previous Proclamation dated April 24, 2020, and effective April 27, 2020, is still in effect except to the extent modified herein:
2. Restaurants and private clubs – May continue to provide pick up, curbside service, delivery or drive through. Beginning Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at noon, and until June 1, 2020, unless otherwise modified prior to that time, the following regulations apply to restaurants that may open its facility for dine-in or outside seated service:
   1. Prior to resuming in-house dinning, the entire restaurant and bar, including areas not open to the public, shall be deep cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized.
   2. Restaurants and bars shall set hours of operations to close to the public no later than 10:00 p.m.
   3. Restaurant management shall require employees to practice social distancing; send sick employees home; actively encourage sick employees to stay home; separate and send home employees who appear to have respiratory illness symptoms; adopt and enforcing regular and proper hand-washing and personal hygiene protocols; and daily screen employees for COVID-19 related symptoms before beginning their shifts.
   4. Restaurants and bars shall conduct a daily screening of all employees at the beginning of their shifts. Such daily screening shall include the following questions, and any employee answering any question in the affirmative shall be sent home:
      1. Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
      2. Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
      3. Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
      4. Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
      5. Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?
   5. All employees shall be required to report any symptoms of COVID-19 to their supervisor, and any employee who exhibits any of the symptoms of COVID-19 during their shift shall be sent home immediately and advised to consult with their physician.
   6. Appropriate PPE shall be worn by all employees based on their duties and responsibilities and in adherence to state and local regulations and guidelines. Every employee who comes into direct contact with customers shall be provided a cloth mask and required to wear that mask while on duty.
   7. All employees shall be provided training regarding minimizing the spread of COVID-19, including the importance of frequent hand washing and personal hygiene, proper sanitation, cough and sneeze etiquette, use of PPE, and safe food-handling procedures.
   8. Where possible, workstations should be staggered so employees can avoid standing next to each other. Where separation of workstations is not possible, the frequency of surface cleaning and sanitizing should be increased.
   9. Break rooms shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and the number of employees in the break room shall be limited to allow for strict social distancing (a minimum of six feet between employees and no gathering of more than ten employees).
   10. The number of customers in the restaurant or bar shall be no greater than 50% of seating capacity.
   11. Floor plans shall be updated to ensure at least six feet of separation between each party/group whether dining indoor or outdoor.
   12. Bars or bar areas that do not offer food services shall remain closed, and live music shall not be permitted.
   13. The use of technology solutions to minimize person-to-person contact is encouraged, including mobile reservations systems, text upon arrival, mobile ordering, and contactless payment options.
   14. Signage shall be posted at each entrance stating no customer with a fever or other symptom of COVID-19 is permitted in the restaurant or bar.
   15. Customers shall be screened for illness upon their entry into the restaurant or bar.
   16. Customers shall not be allowed to congregate in the waiting area or bar area. The restaurant shall adopt a process to ensure that a minimum of six feet separation is maintained between customers while waiting to be seated or in the bar area.
   17. All front-of-house high contact surfaces shall be sanitized, at a minimum, every two hours.
   18. The use of disposable menus is encouraged. All non-disposable menus shall be sanitized between each use.
   19. Tables, chairs, and tabletop items shall be sanitized after each table turns.
   20. Buffet Service:
       1. Self-service buffets, food stations, and drink stations are prohibited.
       2. Cafeteria style (worker served) buffets and food stations are permitted with appropriate barriers in place.
   21. Hand sanitizer shall be placed at all points of entry and exit, the hostess station, in or near the bathrooms, and at the cashier station.
   22. All food service areas shall be deep cleaned daily.
   23. There shall not be any condiments on the table, but condiments shall be provided upon request and only in disposable packets or containers.
   24. There shall not be open seating, but seating shall be by a host/hostess or by reservation. Restaurants are encouraged to limit seated groups to 6 people at a table at a time and no more than 8 if they come in together. Restaurants should keep a daily log of names and contact information of customers or video of customers if available in lieu of names and contact information in the event there is a positive case and persons need to be notified.
   25. To the extent possible, suspend the use of Personal Identification Numbers pads, PIN entry devices, electronic signature capture, and other credit card receipt signature requirements to the extent such suspension is permitted by agreements with credit card companies and credit agencies.
3. Pet Grooming Services: Pet Grooming Services may open at noon on May 5, 2020 and operate in accordance with the guidance provided by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.
4. Outdoor Recreation: Effective Thursday May 7, 2020 at noon, City neighborhood parks, skateboard park, basketball courts and playgrounds may open to the public for recreational outdoor activities. The tennis courts, softball and baseball fields will be open for scheduled use only through the City Recreation Department.  Softball and baseball fields will be for practice only.  Persons shall maintain six feet distance between each other and limit group gatherings/activities to a maximum of 20 participants.
5. Curfew: The general curfew in effect from 11:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. is hereby modified to allow persons to walk for exercise or walk a pet on the public street or sidewalk between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. All other provisions of the curfew shall remain in place. This is in effect beginning at 4:00 a.m. on May 6, 2020.
6. Violations of this EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION will be subject to misdemeanor prosecution pursuant to Sec. 45-17-9 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended, Sec. 33-15-7 and Sec. 1-9 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Vicksburg, including a fine of up to $1,000.00 and 90 days in jail.

THIS PROCLAMATION SHALL BE IN EFFECT BEGINNING TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020 AT NOON AND SHALL CONTINUE UNTIL 8:00 A.M. ON JUNE 1, 2020 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED HEREIN OR EXTENDED, MODIFIED OR REPEALED BY A SUBSEQUENT PROCLAMATION.

THIS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION SHALL BE PLACED IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG MINUTES AND REVIEWED EVERY THIRTY (30) DAYS AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

THIS THE ____ DAY OF _________________ 2020.

____________________________________

GEORGE FLAGGS, JR.

MAYOR, CITY OF VICKSBURG, MS

ATTEST:

_____________________________________

WALTER W. OSBORNE, JR