Greenville City Council has enacted measures to control COVID-19 outbreaks and minimize risk to the community by adopting an emergency ordinance to require businesses to implement social distancing measures unless they impose an undue hardship. The City recognizes the need for flexibility and the ordinance takes into account whether the business would have significant difficulty or expense implementing the measure, due to the following factors: the nature and cost of the measure at issue, the financial resources of the business, the type of operation of the business, the availability of material and supplies to implement the measure, and the impact of the measure on the operation of the business. A customer’s failure to adhere to the measures implemented by the business is not a violation.

Here are the measures:

Designating (with signage, tape or other means) the six-foot spacing requirements to ensure appropriate spacing between customers and employees Providing hand sanitizer or sanitizing products for employees and customers Implementing separate operating hours for elderly and vulnerable customers Providing an alternative means of purchasing and delivering products and services, to include online or telephone orders and curbside Making regular announcements or placing signage reminding customers and employees of social distancing measures Allowing employees to wear protective masks and gloves

“It is imperative that residents of this great City remain at a safe distance of at least six feet from others while in public, seek non-emergency medical attention, if sick, via a telehealth service provider, continue to be vigilant with hand-washing, remain calm, and only purchase necessary supplies for immediate use,” said Mayor Knox White.

The ordinance will go into effect at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 4. City residents are strongly urged to stay in their homes except for conducting essential business or engaging in outdoor recreational activities permitted by state order.

“Overall, because of the work done with social distancing and keeping people home here in the Upstate, our upslope of cases is gentle compared to Florida and Georgia,” said Prisma Health Physician Dr. Eric Ossmann, in testimony during the special called meeting. “Now is not the time to back off. It is time to double down to discourage people from congregating,” Ossmann said.

In the event Governor Henry McMaster exercises any power in a manner that conflicts with a provision of this ordinance, the conflicting portion of the ordinance shall immediately cease to have force and effect. Otherwise, this emergency