With Phase 1 of the stay-at-home order now in place, hopefully a lot of businesses will be reopening.

There are a number of steps that have to be taken before a business can reopen in this new COVID-19 world, such as posting signage at the main entrance reminding people to stay six feet apart, telling people who are symptomatic not to enter and notifying customers of the reduced capacity. Under Phase 1 of the stay-at-home order, businesses are limited to 50 percent of their stated fire capacity. But customers also have to be provided enough room to stay six feet apart even if that means further limiting the capacity.

Businesses also have to mark spaces six feet apart in high traffic areas such as check-out lines and have to perform frequent environmental cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas. Hand sanitizer, at least 60 percent alcohol, must also be provided. This requirement, however, comes with the caveat “whenever available.” Hand sanitizer like toilet paper is something that has been in short supply since the first days of the COVID-19 crisis back in March.

And here is a recommendation, not from the governor, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but from the Greensboro Water Resources Department for businesses that have been closed due to the coronavirus.

The Water Resources Department advises people to run water through all possible fixtures in a building prior to re-opening and the recommendation is not to turn the water on and then off but to flush the system by running the water for 10 to 30 minutes through all the fixtures including toilets if the building has been vacant for an extended period of time due to the stay-at-home order.

According to the water department press release, “This prevents water stagnation, which can lead to taste and odor issues, and ensures water is safe before normal use resumes.