Governors announce relief funds for businesses and individuals

Governors in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho issued new restrictions for various businesses, gatherings, and travel because of the increase in the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions come as many people make their plans for Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

Oregon

Governor Kate Brown announced the toughest restrictions in the country starting November 18th through December 2nd to combat the recent COVID-19 spread. These restrictions go through December 16th in Portland. Gov. Brown ordered a ‘freeze’ on businesses and gatherings which includes the following:

Limiting social get-togethers (indoors and outdoors) to no more than six people, total, from no more than two households.
Limiting faith-based organizations to a maximum of 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.
Limiting eating and drinking establishments to take-out and delivery only.
Closing gyms, fitness organizations, indoor recreational facilities, museums, indoor entertainment activities, indoor pools, and sports courts.
Closing zoos, gardens, aquariums, outdoor entertainment activities, and outdoor pools.
Limiting retail, malls, grocery stores, and pharmacies to a maximum of 75% capacity and encouraging curbside pickup.
Prohibiting indoor visiting in long-term care facilities (outdoor visitation permitted for supporting quality of life).

In addition, the mandate requires all businesses to work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and to close offices to the public.

Washington

Governor Jay Inslee issued restriction modifications for all counties in Washington due to COVID-19 increases. These restrictions start on November 16th and go through December 14th. These restrictions start on Monday, November 16th:

Indoor Social Gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited unless they (a) quarantine for fourteen days (14) prior to the social gathering; or (b) quarantine for seven (7) days prior to the social gathering and receive a negative COVID19 test result no more than 48-hours prior to the gathering. A household is defined as individuals residing in the same domicile.
Outdoor Social Gatherings shall be limited to five (5) people from outside your household.
Fitness facilities, gyms, bowling alleys, and movie theaters are closed for indoor operations. Drive-in movie theaters are permitted and must continue to follow current drive-in movie theater guidance.

Businesses Limited to 25% capacity include;

In-Store Retail
Malls (Food Courts are closed)
Grocery Stores
Religious Services
Personal Services – cosmetologists, hairstylists, barbers, manicurists, nail salon workers, tanning salons, and tattoo artists
Prohibiting indoor visiting in long-term care facilities (outdoor visitation permitted for supporting quality of life).

Starting Wednesday, November 18th:

Restaurants and Bars are closed for indoor dine-in service. Outdoor dining and to-go service are permitted following current restriction guidelines. Table size for outdoor dining is limited to a maximum of five (5) people.

In addition, the mandate requires all businesses to work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and to close offices to the public.

Travel

Governor Brown and Governor Inslee along with Governor Gavin Newsom of California and Governor Brad Little formed a West Coast travel advisory requiring residents returning from out-of-state or visitors from the rest of the country to quarantine for 14 days.

Taking Temperatures

To mitigate the potential spread of infection in the workplace, employers may be required to take an employee’s or guest’s temperature. In addition, many states are requiring all employees to wear facial coverings on site. Having a person at the entry taking temperatures is time-consuming and puts the person taking the temperature at risk.

Solution

ThermaScreen is an access control device with built-in face recognition which can be used to check for mask compliance. The included Infra-red Thermal reader gives an instant thermal read-out of temporal temperature. Every facial scan is recorded and saved internally in the device for record-keeping.

ThermaScreen can be used as a stand-alone device or it can be integrated into the Attendance on Demand time and attendance solution as well as most any access control system.