By Kevin Freking and Mike Stobbe 

The Trump administration is reviewing proposed new guidelines for how restaurants, schools, churches, and businesses can safely reopen as states look to gradually lift their coronavirus restrictions.

The draft guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been sent to Washington but still could be revised before being released to the public. The recommendations were obtained from a federal official who was not authorized to release them publicly.

The guidelines include suggestions such as closing break rooms at offices, using disposable menus in restaurants, and having students eat lunch in their classrooms.

The CDC put together so-called “decision trees” for at least seven types of organizations: schools, camps, childcare centers, religious facilities, mass transit systems, workplaces, and bars/restaurants.

White House officials previously released a three-phase reopening plan for the nation that mentioned schools and other organizations that come back online at different points. But it hadn't previously offered more specific how-to guidelines for each kind of entity with specific steps they can take.

The new guidance still amounts to little more than advice. State and local officials will be the ones to adopt and enforce them. Some state and local governments have already put rules in place for businesses that are operating. For example, Michigan requires businesses to limit how many customers can be in a store at one time.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said that each business that wants to reopen will have to submit a plan to the state on how to do that.

The new guidance could offer some unified federal guidance that local officials can lean on, said Lindsay Wiley, an American University public health law expert.

"Federal guidance provides cover to the states for those regulations if they're challenged in the courts," she said. “It allows the state to say ‘well the CDC said to do it this way,’ and the judge then is very happy to say 'well yes you consulted CDC and that’s the appropriate body,' and then uphold the restrictions and say they're appropriately evidence-based."

Some examples from the guidance:

—In the initial reopening phases, schools should space desks 6 feet apart, nix any field trips and school assemblies, and have students eat lunch in their classrooms instead of the cafeteria.

—Churches should hold services through video streaming or at drive-in or outdoor venues as much as possible. They should also encourage everyone to wear cloth face masks, use a stationary collection box, and schedule extra services if necessary to make sure church pews are not packed and congregants stay at least 6 feet from each other.

—Restaurants should consider using throwaway menus, single-service condiments, and disposable forks, knives, spoons, and dishes. They should install sneeze guards at cash registers, limit the number of employees on a shift, and avoid having buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.

Various trade groups have also started coming out with recommendations. For example, the National Restaurant Association last week put out guidance to restaurants considering reopening. The association based its guidance on recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But its suggestions don’t necessarily match the draft CDC proposals.

The association said restaurants should clean and sanitize reusable menus, while the CDC suggests using disposable menus. And the CDC recommends that employees use cloth masks when interacting with customers, but the association doesn’t. But some guidance is similar. The association and the CDC both recommend seating dining parties at least 6 feet apart.

___

Stobbe reported from New York. AP business writer Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Share:
More In Business
Michigan Judge Sentences Walmart Shoplifters to Wash Parking Lot Cars
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
State Department Halts Plan to buy $400M of Armored Tesla Vehicles
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
Load More