Converse County Public Health allowing restaurants to open, Peak Fitness request granted

Plans to open Converse County businesses took another step forward Friday May 9, with the third continuation and modification of Statewide Order #1 allowing restaurants and similar establishments to open their doors to the public under heavy restrictions, according to a release from Converse County Health Officer Mark Campbell.

“Restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distillery pubs, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and other places of public accommodation offering food, beverages, or alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption may provide services (indoor and outdoor),” were all listed in the release, and all must follow the same guidelines and restrictions.

There is a list of 21 rules the establishments must follow. Tables will be limited to parties of six or less, with at least six feet separating each table with guests from one another. Staff will be, among other things, expected to wear face coverings at all times and perform hygiene measures after every interaction with each table.

Each business will also be expected to thoroughly sanitize each table and the items such as salt and pepper shakers in between guests, as well as sanitize the entire location periodically throughout the day.

Employees will be screened for symptoms of the novel coronavirus prior to each shift, and work logs must be kept and available for inspection by the local health officer.

Peak Fitness in Douglas request to increase the number of guests allowed in the facility per hour from 10 to 15 was approved by Campbell, effective May 9.

Peak Fitness has been operating for the past seven weeks allowing 10 guests per hour following previous guidelines, but stated that their facilities are large enough to safely allow 15 customers in the gym at any one time.

“For the past seven weeks we have reduced our number of customers to 10 per hour with rigid cleaning rules,” Peak Fitness said in it’s request for exception. “We have been able to comply with all stated rules and maintain an extremely healthy staff and member base. Currently our requests for members to enter the facility has increased and although we are keeping to the rule of 10 people at a time, we see no issues with increasing the number to 15 people. Gov. Gordon stated that 120 feet of space is required for physical distancing during workouts. We have a 10,000 square foot facility with multiple rooms which we are certain we can maintain cleanliness in.”