Delaware to slowly ease restrictions on some businesses

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Some small businesses in Delaware will be allowed to resume limited operations starting Friday, Gov. John Carney said Tuesday.

The announcement is aimed at gradually starting to lift restrictions the Democratic governor imposed on individuals and businesses more than seven weeks ago in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Carney’s state-at-home order and limitations on business activity have led to unprecedented numbers of Delawareans filing for unemployment benefits and declines of hundreds of millions of dollars in projected tax revenues.

“I’ve heard the anguish in the small business owners’ voices about just the economic carnage that has visited on them and their employees and their businesses in every corner of our state,” he said, describing Tuesday’s announcement as a “baby step” toward a broader reopening of Delaware’s economy while carefully monitoring the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

“The indicators that we’re watching for 14-day trends are trending in a positive direction, which gives us some level of optimism that we will be able to start moving toward Phase One of reopening later on in the month,” Carney said.

Under the new state guidelines effective Friday morning, retailers such as department stores, tobacco shops, book stores and thrift stores will be allowed to do business using curbside pickup as long as social distancing can be maintained. Jewelry stores will be allowed to conduct business by appointment only.

Hair salons can also resume operations by appointment, but only for people who work at businesses deemed by the state to be “essential.”

Golfers will be able to start using carts again, but with only one occupant per vehicle.

A big question confronting Carney is when the beaches in southern Delaware, the lifeblood of the state’s billion-dollar tourist economy, will reopen.

“That’s probably the toughest decision that we have coming up,” Carney acknowledged.

Officials in the sprawling Maryland coastal resort of Ocean City, just over the state line from Delaware, have announced that the beaches and boardwalk will reopen Saturday to the general public. Most businesses, including hotels and motels, will remain closed, however, although some restaurants will be offering carryout service.

Carney said he hoped to coordinate efforts with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan about reopening beaches and will continue talking to local officials in southern Delaware about when they might reopen their beaches.

“Each of their towns is different,” he noted, adding that it would likely be the end of the month before any broad decision is made about reopening Delaware beaches.

“I do have some concerns there with Ocean City opening their businesses,” Carney said. “Obviously, businesses on this side of the line are going to say, ‘Why not us?’”

Meanwhile, Delaware officials on Tuesday announced a plan to provide all long-term care facilities in the state with the resources and training to test all patients and staff for COVID-19. Expanding COVID-19 testing capacity for vulnerable populations is a requirement of federal guidance for economic reopening, they noted.

Public health director Dr. Karyl Rattay said a team of 10 nurses from the Veterans Administration hospital in Delaware has been helping provide training to long-term care facilities on the use of protective equipment, and that they will assist in the testing effort.

As of Monday evening, state officials reported 5,371 cases of COVID-19 in Delaware and 187 deaths. People aged 65 and older accounted for only 18% of COVID-19 cases but 80% of the deaths. Roughly 280 people were hospitalized as of Monday, about half the number of hospitalizations that officials had projected for mid-April.

“Our efforts to flatten the curve have been working,” Carney said.

Most infected people have mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two or three weeks, such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, or death.

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