BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSION OF HARRISON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

and

THE HARRISON-CLARKSBURG BOARD OF HEALTH

 

As directed by the Governor of the State of West Virginia, the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health, on this Sixth day of April, 2020, makes the following FINDINGS and ORDER:                                          .

Whereas, a National Emergency as well as a State of Emergency has been declared because of the COVID- 19 pandemic, and;

Whereas, the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health has concluded that COVID-19 is a highly communicable and infectious disease that presents a severe health risk for citizens and visitors of West Virginia because of, among other things, ease of transmission of the disease, and;

Whereas, in an attempt to slow or halt the spread of COVID-19, the Governor of the State of West Virginia has issued Executive Orders pursuant to his authority under West Virginia Code §15-5-6 and related statutes, including Executive Order 9-20 and Executive Order 21-20, and;

Whereas, pursuant to West Virginia Code §16-3-2 and related statutes, and Executive Order 9-20 and Executive Order 21-20, the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health has been directed to implement additional mitigation directives to restrict public movement of all individuals to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19, and to quarantine or isolate those who are infected or likely infected with COVID-19 due to their exposure, symptoms or diagnosis of COVID-19, and;

Whereas, Executive Order 21-20 mandates further action by the Harrison County, Monongalia County and Kanawha County Health Departments in an effort to disrupt the spread of the virus and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among the populations of such Counties in an effort to protect such persons;

Whereas, pursuant to the advice and guidance provided by the Federal and State Governments and by the Centers for Disease Control for the protection of the public and our employees to the greatest extent possible, and for the purpose of fully implementing the Governor’s Executive Order No. 21-20, dated April 4, 2020, The Harrison County Commission and Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health hereby ORDERS the following additional restrictions upon the residents, businesses, and public bodies of Harrison County:

  1. Stay at home or your place of residence: All individuals within Harrison County are under a general stay- at-home order and are directed to stay at home or their place of residence or usual place of abode [hereinafter “home”] unless performing an essential activity, as defined in Section 1 of the Governor of West Virginia’s Stay at Home Executive Order 9-20, with the additional following restrictions:
    1. As stated in Executive Order 21-20, the gathering size of any group engaging in outdoor activity is limited to a maximum of 5 people as part of any group within the immediate vicinity of each other, including still maintaining social distancing of a minimum of six feet from one another at all times.
    2. All persons who are going to and from the home of a family member are to limit the number of these visits to the least number of visits reasonably possible so as to reduce and limit the total number of times requiring anyone to leave the home.
  1. Essential Businesses and Operations.  As defined in Executive Order 21-20, all Essential Businesses and Operations, as outlined in Section 3 of Executive Order 9-20, conducted by both private and public employers and/or entities, including non-profit businesses or operations in Harrison County shall direct their employees and/or contractors, to the maximum extent possible, to work from their home or residence, or to otherwise work remotely in order to limit the instances requiring their employees to leave their homes. Despite this directive, any business permitted to remain open that chooses to remain open and requires employees to report to work must take the following actions:
    1. Implement a written plan to limit staff to essential personnel only;
    2. Implement social distancing practices in the workplace where possible, including remaining  at a minimum 6 feet apart from other persons;
    3. Supplying multiple, adequate disinfecting and hygienic supplies and dispensers to employees, and/or other persons on site; such as disinfecting wipes or spray, hand sanitizer, and soap & water consistent with the number of persons allowed to be on the premises as set forth herein; and,
    4. Provide protective barriers for employees exposed to the general public (barriers may include safety glasses, masks, plexi-glass shields).
  1. Public Access All Essential Business and Operations, as defined in Section 3 of Executive Order 9-20, that choose to remain open to the public shall limit access to the public as follows:
    1. No more than two (2) persons per per 1,000 square feet of public space in any such building or any attached and/or adjacent area where persons may likely congregate and such limitation shall include employees, customers and any  other    In  order  to  ensure  the  number  of  people  per square foot is not exceeded,  the  business  shall  count  the  number  of  persons  who  enter  and leave such building or any attached and/or adjacent area on a one-in, one-out basis once capacity is reached; if attached and/or adjacent areas cannot be  controlled  for  occupancy  due  to  their openness then they shall be cordoned off or closed.
    2. All such private and public employers and/or entities, including non-profit businesses or operations shall take actions to establish social distancing for the public to the greatest extent possible, including but not limited to marking areas a minimum of six feet apart at any area where persons are likely to stand or wait in line to access the building; creating one-way aisles and any other restrictions which limit close contact with other people and encourage people to place order ahead, where feasible, that will allow them to pick up and pay without entering the business.
    3. Any Essential Business that remains open to the public shall prominently display at all entrances and exits and checkout counters, with at least a minimum 5 notifications being posted in any Essential Business of the directives established herein, including posting the maximum per person occupancy of each Essential Business.
  1. Self-Quarantine for Positive Test. Pursuant to the general authority of the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health to order quarantine of individuals contained in West Virginia Code 16-3-2, any person who is diagnosed with COVID-19 shall self-Quarantine for at least 14 days in a portion of their own home that limits, as much as possible, their contact with any other member or person in their home at any time. If possible, any person diagnosed with COVID-19 who is under self-quarantine should use his or her own bathroom exclusively. Any person living in the same household as a diagnosed person or who has had known contact with a diagnosed person should contact the Harrison­ -Clarksburg Health Department for further instruction.
  1. The enforcement of this Order shall be at the direction of the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health. Pursuant to Executive Order 21-20, the West Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies are directed to provide support in enforcing the terms of this Order.  Accordingly, the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health hereby requests that the West Virginia State Police and all other law enforcement agencies in Harrison County enforce this Order and that any member of the West Virginia State Police assigned to assist the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health with the enforcement of this order are requested use the Sheriff Law Enforcement (SLED) radio frequency in communications with Harrison-Taylor 911 and the Harrison County Sheriffs office. If West Virginia State Police resources are not available, the Harrison County Sheriffs office and all municipal law enforcement agencies located in Harrison County may be called upon to enforce this Order. In addition, the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health declares:
    1. Pursuant to Executive Order 21-20, to the extent resources are available, the National Guard shall support the local health department by assisting with spot checking businesses and with any other support deemed necessary by the Health Officer to require compliance with the regulations established
    2. That all law enforcement officers acting at the direction of the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health are charged with the enforcement of this Order. Any person who violates a lawful directive from such law enforcement officer is subject to the penalties stated in West Virginia Code § 16-2-15, which provides a misdemeanor penalty for any person who obstructs any person charged with the enforcement of any public health
    3. Any person who is notified by a law enforcement officer that they are in violation of this Order and who does not take the requested action to come into compliance with this Order within a reasonable amount of time, is also hereby declared to be a nuisance affecting public health, pursuant to West Virginia Code § 16-3-6 and the law enforcement officer is authorized to apply to the Circuit Court of Harrison County for an injunction to restrain, prevent or abate such nuisance.
  1. The Harrison County Commission and the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health reserves the right to amend the order as is necessary to protect the health and welfare of the public. Any amendment to this directive will be communicated to the public by media release and  other  reasonable methods of notification.

 

IT IS SO ORDERED. This Order adopted by a majority vote of the Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health at a duly called meeting on April 6, 2020. This Order is effective  immediately.                                                                                                                                           ·

 

ENTERED this the 6th day of April, 2020.

Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health