To Keep Returning Employees Safe, Workplace Measures Will Need To Go Beyond Temperature Checks
People with the virus can be contagious without a fever, so temperature checks can only do so much. In other news on reopening: Hollywood eyes new safety measures as it considers restarting productions; amusement parks plan to open but doubt remains whether people will actually go; dental office get the message out that they're taking patients again; and more.
The Associated Press:
Will Temperature Checks Of Employees Make Workplaces Safe?
Will temperature checks of employees make workplaces safe? No, not completely. They can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections but shouldn’t be the only safety measure employers take. Some employers are following White House guidelines to screen workers for a fever with daily temperature checks to help prevent the spread of infections. (6/2)
Reuters:
Frequent Testing, Less Contact Recommended To Get Hollywood Cameras Rolling Again
Hollywood studios and labor unions on Monday proposed extensive coronavirus testing and other safeguards to allow actors and crew members to resume movie and TV show production in the United States. An entertainment industry task force sent dozens of recommendations to the governors of California and New York, two of the largest U.S. production hubs, and was awaiting a green light to return to sets. Filming around the world was halted in mid-March to help curb the coronavirus pandemic. (6/1)
Los Angeles Times:
Hollywood Group Sends Set Safety Guidelines To Governors
No more buffet-style food service. Live audiences with face masks. A COVID-19 compliance officer on every set. Those are among the safety protocols recommended by Hollywood union officials and studio executives in a report to the governors of California and New York. (Lee, 6/1)
The New York Times:
Getting Back To ‘Normal’ May Not Be So Easy. Crisis Experts Can Help.
After 80 days of lockdown, my husband and I yearned for company. Since New York City is slowly easing restrictions, we decided to ask friends for a socially distanced lunch. I planned the social experiment with the precision I do when reporting in war zones. We would invite only two people, for just two hours. We would choose only those we knew had been strict quarantineers and had gotten coronavirus tests. We would insist on face covers and a checklist of taboos that included touching your dinnerware but nothing else. We’d convene in the garden out back, with no lingering inside. (Matloff, 6/2)
Politico:
Murphy OKs ‘Stage Two’ Of New Jersey’s Reopening
New Jersey will enter the next phase of its economic reopening beginning in two weeks, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. The Garden State has lost more that 11,700 residents to Covid-19 since March, but sustained declines in both the number of new positive cases and hospitalizations has allowed state officials to move forward with developing guidance for outside dining, in-person retail and personal grooming services like barbershops and salons. (Sutton, 6/1)
The Wall Street Journal:
As Amusement Parks Reopen, Will Americans Ride Rollercoasters In A Pandemic?
At this time of year, Brian Witherow can usually hear the screams of riders on some of the world’s fastest roller coasters from his office in the middle of Cedar Point, a 150-year-old amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Witherow, the chief financial officer of the park’s operator, Cedar Fair LP, says it’s quiet right now in the park, which juts into the southwest corner of Lake Erie. He is at his desk struggling to manage the financial fallout of a monthslong shutdown at the park and others owned by the company across the U.S. (Patterson, 6/2)
Southern California News Group:
Disneyland Surveys Passholders About Masks, Temperature Checks And Health Questionnaires
Disneyland has begun surveying annual passholders about their feelings and opinions on potential COVID-19 health and safety protocols as the Anaheim theme park prepares to reopen following an extended coronavirus closure. Disneyland passholders were asked a series of survey questions about face masks, temperature checks at park entrances and pre-arrival health questionnaires, according to MiceChat. (MacDonald, 6/2)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Dental Offices Trying To Reopen Show How Hard Back-To-Work Can Get
On May 8, the Pennsylvania Department of Health set new safety guidelines for reopening dental practices. Since then, MacCrory said, she’s been flooded with calls from dentists desperate to restart their practices, but struggles to find hygienists willing to risk constant exposure to saliva and respiratory droplets that could be swarming with the coronavirus. (Ruderman and Gantz, 6/2)
KQED:
Yes, You Can Go To The Dentist. And Yes, The Coronavirus Means It Will Be Incredibly Different
As California entered Stage 2 of the state’s reopening in early May, when curbside pickup for some retail like flower shops and bookstores was permitted, the state also allowed routine dental care, such as cleanings and exams, to resume. But like the loosening of other restrictions, the return to regular dental care varies based on permission from counties themselves. What's resulted is a patchwork of rules and regulations, and confusion for dentists and patients alike. (Klivans, 6/1)
Boston Globe:
Baker Says Camps, Child Care Can Reopen During Phase Two Of Reopening
Day camps and child care facilities will be allowed to reopen during the next phase of Massachusetts’ gradual reopening of the economy, once they have met several requirements for keeping children and staff safe, Governor Charlie Baker said Monday. Though overnight camps will not be able to reopen until later this summer, day camps and child care centers can begin to submit plans after they satisfy the newly released minimum requirements during the second phase of reopening, which is slated to begin as soon as Monday. (Ebbert, 6/1)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
New Orleanians Will Deal With Trauma From The Coronavirus Pandemic Long After The City Reopens
Soon after New Orleans’ stay-at-home order was put in place, the University of Holy Cross began offering the public free, remote counseling sessions through its Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and Training Center. The center offers low-cost — normally $20 for a 50-minute session— counseling services for the public, faculty and students. It also is a training ground for students working toward degrees in counseling. (Clapp, 6/1)
The Advocate:
Louisiana Moving To Phase 2 Of Coronavirus Restrictions; Here's What That Means
Louisiana is loosening its restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, allowing bars to reopen and expanding the occupancy requirements to 50% for a host of businesses, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday. The decision, made after consultation with state health officials, comes three weeks after Edwards said he would end the state’s stay-at-home order and start a phased reopening. The first phase of that reopening allowed a host of businesses, like restaurants, retailers and casinos, operate at 25% occupancy. (Karlin, 6/1)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Santa Clara County To Allow Shopping, Small Religious Services, Outdoor Dining
Shopping, outdoor dining, childcare programs and religious services will resume in Santa Clara County under an amended shelter-in-place policy expected to go into effect Friday, officials announced. Under the new order, low or no-contact services such as house cleaning, pet grooming and shoe repair may resume, as well as outdoor religious or cultural ceremonies — including funerals — in groups no larger than 25. (Sanchez, 6/1)