Businesses considered essential or nonessential amid the COVID-19 outbreak - here's a breakdown

Businesses considered essential or nonessential amid the COVID-19 outbreak – here’s a breakdown

As of Tuesday, 35 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, and Washington, DC, have ordered the closure of nonessential businesses amid the coronavirus outbreak.

But which businesses are considered essential and which are considered nonessential?

According to Business Insider – technically, it’s up to cities and states to decide, but there are some businesses that all locales have deemed essential. The Department of Homeland Security has also issued a guidance on workers who are essential to infrastructure.

These include:
Supermarkets and grocery stores
Big-box stores
Pharmacies
Convenience stores and discount stores
Garbage collection
Healthcare operations
Daycare centers
Hardware stores
Gas stations and auto-repair shops
Banks
Post offices and shipping businesses
Veterinary clinics and pet stores
Farmers’ markets and food banks
Businesses that provide necessities to shelters and economically disadvantaged people
Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning
Agriculture and food processing
Warehousing, storage, and distribution
Transportation, including airlines, taxis, rideshare programs, and vehicle rentals
Businesses that allow essential businesses to operate

As cities and states continue to shut down their nonessential businesses, what is considered essential will likely vary based on the needs of each location. But businesses that people rely on in everyday life will largely remain open.

Nonessential businesses are generally recreational in nature. They don’t provide groceries, health or financial support, or utilities. Restaurants fall in this category, but most locations have allowed restaurants to continue to operate as long as they close dining rooms and switch to exclusively take-out and delivery.

These are the businesses largely agreed to be nonessential:

Theaters
Gyms and recreation centers
Salons and spas
Museums
Casinos and racetracks
Shopping malls
Bowling alleys
Sporting and concert venues

These are businesses for which the category varies by region:

Restaurants and bars
Liquor stores
Industrial manufacturing not related to essential function
Construction
Labor unions
Marijuana dispensaries
Gun stores
Home office supply stores

(PHOTO: Grocery stores such as Kroger is considered essential during COVID-19)

David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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