JASPER — The Dubois County Health Department, with the support of the Dubois County Commissioners, is strongly recommending essential retail and grocery stores follow these necessary guidelines to prevent crowding in the store and allow for social distancing:

1. Allow no more than 10% of stated fire capacity in the store at a time. Require staff to count the number of customers entering and exiting the store and to enforce those limits.

2. Clearly mark 6-foot spacing lines and other high-traffic areas and consider ways to encourage spacing if there are lines outside. Consider posting signage or using ropes to direct customers and to limit bottlenecks/encourage flow in high-density areas of stores.

3. Designate employees to monitor social distancing and assist customers.

4. Maximize space between customers and employees at checkout.

5. Designate employee(s) to ensure the cleaning guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are followed.

6. Discontinue self-serve foods and product sampling.

7. Establish exclusive hours for high-risk populations, including seniors and follow the 10% rule during those hours.

8. For larger grocery stores and retailers (those with greater than 25,000 square feet), offer pickup and/or delivery options when possible.

9. Allow only one member of family to enter the store at a time and consider not allowing children or pets in the facility.

10. Cloth face coverings need to be worn by all persons, including employees.