AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday, May 18, bowling alleys, bingo halls and skating rinks will be able to reopen starting May 22 with some guidelines.
The guidelines are as follows:
- All employees must be trained on cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
- All employees must be screened for symptoms before coming into the facility.
- Employees must wash or sanitize their hands once they enter the facility.
- Employees should maintain six feet of separation if possible. If not possible, other measures, such as face-covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness and sanitation, should be practiced.
- If the facility provides meals to employees, it should be individually packaged.
- Contactless payment is encouraged where possible.
- Frequently touched items should be blocked off
- For rented equipment;
- All equipment, including bowling balls and shoes, should be disinfected before and after customer use.
- Disinfecting products should be available throughout the facility for use on the equipment.
- If food is served;
- Condiments, silverware, flatware, glassware or other tabletop items should not be left on unoccupied tables.
- Condiments should be provided in single-use, non-reusable portions.
- Disposable menus should be used.
- Wait staff should wash their hands in between customer interactions.
- Self-service drink fountains should be blocked off or removed.
- Interactive amusement machines, such as video games, should be blocked off.
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"We've been lucky enough to keep our employees on," said John Donovan, the president of Family Sports Inc., which owns the bowling alley locations.
Donovan said he's just glad to get back to operating and is thankful for the opportunity to do so, but they'll be following a long list of safety guidelines.
When you walk in, there will be hand sanitizer right at the front entryway for all customers to use. Masks are required when you're inside the building.
You'll only pay once at the beginning. Plexiglass has been installed along with a card reader that only a customer uses (it's disinfected after every use) so it's noncontact when you have to rent a pair of bowling shoes.
When it comes to renting a bowling ball, there's a designated room where bowling balls are disinfected after each use. The balls are put through a machine called a "detox box" where they are thoroughly disinfected.
Only every other lane will be able to be occupied, as the bowling alley can only operate at 25% capacity. Donovan said they'll be monitoring to make sure it doesn't get too crowded and that people are spread out.
Gov. Abbott also announced that several other types of businesses will be able to reopen throughout the month of May, including child care services, some youth and professional sports and gyms.
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