Gary Is Set To Enter Stage 2 One Week After The Rest Of Lake County
The City of Gary continues to operate under a Stay-At Home order issued by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. “As Mayor, I have the power and authority to extend the state’s Stay- At-Home order if the rate of COVID-19 continues to jeopardize the City of Gary,” Mayor Jerome Prince said Friday. As of Friday Gary had 488 cases with 16 deaths, the latest being on Friday. “As long as we continue to see our COVID-19 infection rate rise, we will take steps to ensure our public safety,” Prince said.
City Operations
A team of City of Gary officials is working on details of a protocol to get City workers back to work. The process will begin May 18th. Workers likely will return to work in City facilities in a split schedule form. Also, next week the Mayor will have more details on opening City facilities to public traffic.
Businesses
First, I refer business owners to Gov. Holcomb’s special website for Indiana’s post- Covid-19 recovery. Go to Backontrack.in.gov. They can find guidelines for their industries there.
Gov. Holcomb’s Backontrack.in.gov plan indicated Lake, Cass and Marion Counties will begin recovery plans one week after the rest of the State. Gov. Holcomb said he added the delays for the three counties because of the high rates of Covid-19 infections in those counties.
To understand when their industries will reopen in Gary, just as with the rest of Lake County, business leaders should add a week to each date they find on the state website. For example, if Backontrack.in.gov calls for opening restaurants to 50% or 75% dining room capacity by a particular day in May, then business operators should add at least one week to conduct business in Gary.
In Gary, for the next week, restaurants and bars with food service must continue food service through next week.
Retail stores and malls may take orders by phone or online, but their customers must use curbside pickup to get their merchandise. Also, those stores may deliver their products to customers.
Bars, nightclubs, personal services (barber shops, nail salons, hair salons, etc.) will remain closed for one more week. Beginning on May 18th, they may reopen under certain restrictions.
Business owners should consult the state website or their state licensing agencies for more details, remembering the City of Gary has the right and responsibility to be more restrictive than the state when necessary.
Religious Services
Reminder, houses of worship should NOT hold in-person services this week.
Funeral homes also must strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines and NOT hold services with more than 10 people at a time at ceremonies.
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