Reopening Guidance for Businesses and Industries

As businesses and institutions begin to reopen, reopening guidelines should be referenced to ensure that any and all procedures are followed to keep both staff and clients safe. These guidelines may differ based on the industry in which the business operates.

Guidance documents for specific sectors can be found in the sections below with resources for general operating procedures. Select documents may be available in multiple languages. 

Resources are organized based on topic. Click on the options to jump to each section or scroll down to view more.

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Latest Updates

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COVID Reopening Benchmarks

On June 11th, Harris County Public Health (HCPH) and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo released public health recommendations to better understand how to safely reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Leading Harris County: Benchmarks for a Healthy Community guide outlines this process. 

To see the newest benchmarks, please click here.

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Resource Downloads and Toolkits

Toolkits featuring business guidance, signage, holiday guidance, and more are available for download here.

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General Guidance

When reopening, there may specific guidelines that apply to multiple industries, building occupancy, or other elements that may be applicable to multiple sectors. This section - as well as the General Public Guidance page - details those documents. Similar information may be found in the Occupancy Limits, Available Signage, and/or Information for Management sections as well.

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Safety Measures and Protocols

Resources for Safety Measures can be found below. For additional documents that pertain to employee guidelines and communicating protocols, refer to the Available Signage and Information for Management resources.

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Operations and Management

Available Signs and Graphics

Select graphics are available for download to help both customers and staff alike adhere to any protocols currently in place within your business. Download a full packet of business guidance here.

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Information for Management

Select resources are available for staff management purposes.

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Occupancy Limits

The Harris County Fire Marshal can help determine occupancy. If you do not know the occupancy of your facility, please contact the Harris County Fire Marshal Office at 713-274-1700 or [email protected]. For more information, visit www.hcfmo.net/records/.

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Guidance By Industry

To view resources for individual sectors, click the options below or scroll down. 

For guidance on signage, occupancy limits, etc., refer to the Operations and Management section.

Beauty Salons, etc.

Resources for Beauty Salons - including Nail Salons, Spas, etc. - can be found below. 

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Construction

Resources for Construction can be found below. 

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Dental Providers

To help control the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response. This guidance should be used with CDC’s Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for patients with COVID-19. This information supplements, but does not replace, the general infection prevention and control (IPC) recommendations for COVID-19.

Resources for Dental Providers can be found on the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) website for Dental Settings. 

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Educational Services

Resources are available for Educational Services, including Early Education. Please refer to the School Guidance and Updates page for more information.

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Entertainment and Recreation

Resources for Entertainment and Recreation can be found below. 

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Event Planning

Resources for Event Planning can be found below. 

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Faith and Worship Services

Resources for Faith and Worship can be found below. 

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Fitness and Exercise Facilities

Resources for Exercise Facilities, such as gyms and studios, can be found below. 

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Food and Beverage

Resources for Food and Beverage - including Restaurants, Fast Food, Bars, etc. - can be found below. 

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Funeral Homes

Resources for Funeral Homes and Funeral Directors can be found on the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) website.

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Healthcare and Social Services

Resources for Healthcare, Social Services, First Responders, and related industries can be found below. To view comprehensive materials for healthcare - in particular, those that apply to Healthcare Professionals and Frontline Workers - refer to the Guidance for Healthcare Professionals resources.

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Manufacturing 

Resources for Manufacturing can be found below. 

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Meat and Poultry Processing

Resources for Meat and Poultry Processing and associated facilities can be found below. 

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Retail

Resources for Retail can be found below. 

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Supermarket and Grocery

Resources for Supermarkets, Grocery Stores, and other Food Retail establishments can be found below. 

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Transportation

Resources for Transportation, including Public Transportation, can be found below. 

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Veterinarian Services

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides an FAQ page specifically for veterinarians and veterinary clinics on COVID-19. AVMA has additional resources and information that are updated frequently at avma.org/coronavirus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also provides interim guidance for public health professionals managing the home care and isolation of people with COVID-19 who have pets or other animals in the same home. Visit the CDC web page for more information.

Resources for Veterinarians compiled by HCPH can be found below.

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Wedding Venues and Services

Resources for the Wedding Industry, such as venues and vendors, can be found below.