What You Need to Know-Week of June 1st
The most important weekly updates for you to keep your community healthy
In this Update:
1. Additional Reopening Guidance: Movie Theaters, Shopping Malls, Casinos
2. Parenting during a Pandemic: Pools and Lakes
3. Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
1. Additional Reopening Guidance: Movie Theaters, Shopping Malls, Casinos
Governor Ducey released further guidance for Movie Theaters, Shopping Malls, and Casinos to follow in order to safely reopen. While these guidelines may reduce risk of transmission, any indoor spaces with large numbers of people, exchange and movement, airflow, individuals without masks, and lack of very frequent cleaning, increases your risk of developing COVID-19 significantly. While these venues are opening, as public health professionals we do not recommend attending these venues, particularly if you are immunocompromised, work or live with immunocompromised individuals. Immunocompromised conditions include but are not limited to: chronic lung disease (inclusive of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], and emphysema); diabetes mellitus; cardiovascular disease; chronic renal disease; chronic liver disease; immunocompromised condition; neurologic disorder, neurodevelopmental, or intellectual disability; pregnancy; current smoking status; former smoking status; or other chronic disease. Alternative activities include- Netflix Party, online shopping and even online gambling. If you choose to still go, be sure to call ahead and make sure guidelines are being followed. Leave if you feel unsafe.
The table below outlines general guidance that all businesses should implement and all visitors should follow as they visit businesses reopening in Arizona.
| Businesses should remember to: | Visitors should remember to: |
|---|---|
| Continue to maintain physical distancing. Provide and require employees to wear masks whenever possible. Provide soap and water handwashing stations or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Require employees to regularly wash hands for at least 20 seconds. Operate with reduced occupancy with special attention to limiting areas where customers and employees can congregate. Consider posting signs advising customers and employees of expectations and guidance. Wipe any objects or surfaces between use or customer. Implement symptom screening for employees prior to the start of their shift. |
Stay home if you are feeling ill.
Stay at least 6 feet away from others. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Use touchless payment when possible (pay without touching money, a card, or a keypad). If you must handle money, a card, or use a keypad, use hand sanitizer immediately after. After leaving, use hand sanitizer. When you get home, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. |
To reopen safely, in addition to following the information in the table above, movie theaters, shopping malls, and casinos should follow the specific guidance below:
| Movie Theaters | Shopping Malls | Casinos |
| Reopening guidance for movie theaters can be found here. | Reopening guidance for shopping malls can be found here. | Reopening guidance for casinos can be found here. |
| Consider scheduling staggered showtimes.
Consider spacing out seating for those who are not in the same party to at least six feet apart. Concession areas should: Avoid using/sharing items, like condiments, butter dispensers, popcorn flavorings, etc. Instead, use single serving condiments, no-touch trash cans and doors. Avoid providing alcohol other than at a concession area with clean glasses. For theaters that offer on-premise child care: Follow the CDC guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open |
Provide signage including floor decals or taping throughout the shopping mall to reinforce physical distancing. Ensure food court seating is appropriately physically distanced. Food court restaurants should follow the same restaurant guidelines. Implement additional disinfecting of high touch point areas throughout the mall’s common areas regularly. Consider closing play areas or water features where children may congregate and not allow for appropriate sanitation between uses. |
Consider spacing out slot machines, tables, chairs and disinfect regularly.
Place disinfecting wipes at slot machines, tables, and kiosks. Encourage customers to wipe down equipment before and after playing. Casino restaurants should follow the restaurant guidance. Active Game tables should: Non-players should not cluster at or behind the table or players. Limit sharing / passing of chips and tiles and frequently change out cards and chips. Provide hand sanitizer for hand dealt games, and also consider requiring players / dealers to use gloves. |
Additional guidance for other business types can be found here.
2. Parenting during a Pandemic: Pools and Lakes
As temperatures continue to heat up across Arizona and community pools and lakes are beginning to reopen, here are a few safety precautions for you and your children to follow if you decide to visit a pool. Call ahead to check open hours and scheduling before heading over there as not all businesses and parks are reopening yet. Also, be aware that lifeguards may not be as readily available as there is a need for additional, specific training on providing life-saving procedures while maintaining COVID-19 safety precautions as advised by the CDC.
| DO's | DON'Ts |
| Practice physical distancing by staying a minimum of 6 feet away from others, even while in the water.
If possible, disinfect any public objects used, such as pool chairs. Always remember to bring enough sun protection and water! After leaving, disinfect or clean thoroughly with soap and water items brought to the pool and wash towels and bathing suits. Contact your pool to find out if they are meeting increased sanitizing procedures (cleaning toys, locker room/shower disinfecting) and social distancing guidelines (reduced capacity, hours for vulnerable populations). Assess your risk particularly if you or someone you live with or work with closely is immunocompromised. Continually monitor the conditions of the pool – it can go from sparse to crowded quickly. Talk to your kids ahead of time about needing to leave if it gets too dense. Ask if they publicly post the chlorine readings and how often they are assessed. Be aware of whether there is a lifeguard on duty, and watch your children extra carefully. |
Avoid visiting any public areas if you (or your children) are feeling ill.
Avoid very crowded public pools, where physical distancing is not possible. Avoid bringing or sharing pool toys or objects (goggles, floaties, etc.) with others. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Avoid the locker room–wear your suit directly to the pool and back home. |
3. Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
During the COVID-19 outbreak, staying safe and healthy is a main priority, but staying healthy goes beyond just physical health. It is important to remember to prioritize other aspects of health including nutrition and mental health, particularly in times of increased stress and isolation. The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) at the University of Arizona is a great resource to learn more about overall wellness.
- From now until July 1st, all AWCIM lectures and webinars are free to the public. These video lectures and online self-paced courses are only available in English and they cover topics like nutrition, anxiety, and wellness. Click here to view their website and additional resources for well-being.
The next update will cover creating a COVID-19 household plan. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to COVID-19 in Arizona, please complete next week’s AZCOVIDTXT survey that you will receive via text in about a week.