The North Bergen Police and Health Departments have announced plans to begin summonsing local businesses that violate state orders that include social distancing guidelines and wearing face masks.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“In order to reduce the spread of the virus and keep our residents safe, it’s important that we all do our part and that includes making sure our local businesses are following the rules,†Mayor Nick Sacco said in a statement.
“The essential businesses that have remained open during this crisis must take steps to ensure that their employees and customers are safe, and we will take action if necessary to make sure that they do. This is a situation where lives are at stake and we will take these directives very seriously in order to keep our residents safe.â€
The regulations include limiting maximum store capacity to 50 percent, establishing certain hours for senior citizens and high-risk individuals, placing physical barriers between customers and cashiers/baggers (or six feet of distance between those individuals), and enforcing social distancing at check-out lines
Additionally, both workers and customers are required to wear face coverings while on the premises, except in situations where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years old, officials said.
Finally, workers are required to wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods. (Businesses must provide, at their expense, face coverings and gloves for their employees)
To report violations of these directives, call the North Bergen Police Department at 201-392-2100.
As of this morning, North Bergen had reported 1,420 coronavirus cases and 102 related fatalities.
