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In addition to issuing a new health order requiring face coverings, the City of Berkeley has updated its Shelter-in-Place order. Both went into effect Monday, June 8.
Key changes impacting our business community include:
- community members are required to have a visible face covering with them anytime they are outside their home and to wear it when within 30 feet of others --see this flyer about what makes a good face covering
- childcare centers, summer camps, and other educational or recreational institutions or programs for children are allowed to operate, subject to health order requirements
- certain businesses providing services with limited person-to-person contact, including residential housecleaners, dog walkers, and pet grooming services, are allowed to resume operations
- revised social distancing and construction project safety protocols for businesses allowed to operate under the Order
Additionally, Berkeleyans are allowed to socialize outdoors in stable groups outside their households.
Remember the COVID-19 pandemic is not over and every person is a potential carrier, as those infected do not necessarily show symptoms. In fact, confirmed coronavirus cases in California hit a new high on Friday, June 5, and there are more than 130,000 cases in California.
Visit the City's coronavirus page for updated information.
The City of Berkeley seeks business owners' feedback to inform a safe recovery
Vice Mayor Sophie Hahn, the Office of Mayor Jesse Arreguin, and the Office of Economic Development are convening listening sessions with key Berkeley industry sectors in the weeks ahead. These virtual roundtables give Berkeley business leaders a chance to connect with each other, discuss industry-specific challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and help the City of Berkeley plan for a full and safe recovery.
Upcoming sessions include:
If you are a Berkeley business leader who would like to share input to assist your industry's recovery, please register here to attend. An agenda and call info will be sent prior to the meeting.
Berkeley Public Health has partnered with the State of California to launch a new COVID-19 testing site in Berkeley. Anyone can now get tested for free, regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Testing is offered by appointment only and available Monday-Friday, 9:30am-4pm. Learn more and sign up at cityofberkeley.info/get-tested.
Group reservations are available for businesses who would like to get employees tested. To arrange an appointment block, email oedmailbox@cityofberkeley.info with "group testing" in the subject line. Please include the approximate number of employees to be tested in your message.
New Federal Law Relaxes PPP Rules
On June 5, President Trump signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) in an attempt to address many concerns expressed by the small business community around the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a forgivable loan program designed to provide financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PPPFA increases the forgivable loan amount that can be spent on non-payroll costs, extends the “covered period” to 24 weeks from the date of the loan’s origination (or December 31, 2020, whichever comes first), extends the period for loan repayment from 2 years to 5 years, eases rehire requirements and defers the payment of principal and interest until the date the lender receives the forgiveness amount from the SBA.
See this Forbes article for more about the changes.
Visit the SBA Paycheck Protection Program webpage for more info about the program.
Planning Ahead for Safe Reopening
No matter what industry you are in, it's never too early to start preparing for safe re-opening
In order to resume operations, businesses will need to comply with safety requirements by filling out, posting, and implementing a Site Specific Protection Plan for both customers and personnel, as well as adhere to any local guidance issued by the City of Berkeley’s Public Health Division. The following resources might help your business to plan ahead:
Click here for the required signs for businesses to download and post and other City of Berkeley resources for businesses.
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