ELKINS — The state Department of Health and Human Resources has issued a new rule for essential businesses still operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rule, which was approved by West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner and went into effect April 16, imposes new requirements on the businesses still allowed to operate under Gov. Jim Justice’s March 24 “stay home” executive order.

“Under the new DHHR rule, all businesses still in operation are required to implement telework, work-from-home, or other remote work as much as possible,” Bonnie Woodrum, an infectious disease specialist at the Randolph-Elkins Health Department, said in a weekend press release. “The new rule also imposes limits on customer traffic for those businesses that are open to the public.”

Businesses that are open to the public must limit customer access to two customers per 1,000 feet of customer space, the press release states.

“For example, a business with 2,000 feet of customer space could admit only four customers at a time,” the release reads. “Businesses whose sales are at least 80 percent ‘grocery food products’ may admit up to three customers per 1,000 square feet. For example, a store specializing in grocery food products with 2,000 square feet for customers could admit up to six people at one time.”

The order requires businesses to monitor the number of customers inside the store at any one time and ensure that these limits are not exceeded, the release states. The order also requires businesses to enforce social distancing of at least six feet between and among customers and staff, such as by markings on the floor, establishing one-way aisles, and any other measures that may be appropriate in specific businesses.

“Stores must also install protective barriers for customer service personnel, ensure ready availability of disinfectant and sanitizer products for the use of both employees and customers, and post signs at each entrance communicating the order’s directives,” the release reads.

According to a “Public Health Standards for Businesses Checklist,” also released over the weekend, all businesses, whether open to the public or not, must:

• Direct employees to work from home/remotely “to the maximum extent possible”

• Implement a written plan to limit staff, contractors, and vendors to essential personnel

• Implement social distancing practices in the workplace (i.e., maintain six-foot distance between all persons “where possible”)

• Supply “adequate” disinfecting and hygienic supplies and dispensers for staff

“Businesses that are open to the public must restrict entry to two customers per 1,000 square feet of ‘customer floor space’ (or three per 1,000 in stores whose sales are at least 80 percent grocery food products),” the checklist states. “In businesses of less than 1,000 square feet, restrict occupancy to no more than five persons, including employees, at any time.”

In order to accomplish this, the checklist states, businesses must:

• Actively monitor the number of customers who have entered your store and restrict entry as needed to comply with the above

• Mark off six-foot distances for customers to stand in line, create one-way aisles, and take any other measures necessary to maintain social distancing of six feet between and among customers and staff

• Encourage use of call-ahead/curbside pickup

• Provide protective barriers for customer service personnel

All businesses must also post signs at each public entrance that include:

• Statement of compliance with DHHR/BPH Legislative Rule 64CSR114

• Announcement of maximum number of customers allowed inside at one time

• Announcement of requirement to maintain six-foot distancing inside the store at all times, and to obey all signs, floor markings and directives of business employees.

According to the DHHR, as of 5 p.m. Sunday, there had been 890 confirmed cases of coronavirus in West Virginia, with 20 deaths. A total of 21,675 state residents had been tested, with a 4.11% positive test result rate.

Across this region, as of 5 p.m. Sunday, Randolph, Upshur Barbour and Tucker counties had four confirmed cases each, Hardy County had 3 cases, Pendleton County had two cases, and Grant County had one case. Pocahontas County still had no confirmed cases, according to the state DHHR.

See future editions of The Inter-Mountain for more updates and statistics about the COVID-19 pandemic.