The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is getting ready to unveil its most detailed guidance yet for a phased reopening of the country, The Washington Post reports.
The White House recently revealed broad guidance for states to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving most decisions up to governors. But guidance obtained by the Post that's currently undergoing a White House review goes into detail about how specific institutions can reopen — and contains some suggestions that are sure to be debated.
The 17-page CDC guidance breaks down reopening guidance for restaurants, schools, religious institutions, mass transit, and more businesses into three phases. "Among the most contentious issues are the guidelines for faith communities and restaurants," the Post writes. Even in the first phase, restaurants have been given the go-ahead to reopen if they "operate under strict physical distancing protocols," the guidance notes. But one White House official told the Post the recommendations may "cause many restaurants to go bankrupt," seeing as they caution against any form of self-service and ask restaurants to consider installing barriers and perform staff health checks.
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Officials also acknowledged how reluctant some faith communities will likely be to accept the guidance — many have rejected social distancing since its beginnings, to be sure. The CDC recommends continuing to hold remote faith services, spacing out seating inside once they do reopen, and even limiting choir services to just a soloist. Faith groups "may consider and accept or reject" these recommendations, the guidance notes. The optional aspect has reportedly been debated among White House aides because, as one official put it to the Post, "churches don't like being told how to operate."
Read more at The Washington Post, and find all the proposed guidance here.
