A guide to the latest coronavirus laws in South Florida.
Palm Beach County has become the first county in South Florida to enter Phase 2 of reopening from COVID-19, bringing another set of adjustments to the region’s list of restrictions.
The county’s move now allows movie theaters, bowling alleys and other establishments to open their doors for the first time since the pandemic began. The rules for wearing masks, shopping and socializing are constantly evolving, as rate of COVID-19 infections keeps falling.
The rules differ whether you’re in Palm Beach, Broward or Miami-Dade County. Here are the rules.
Palm Beach County
Masks: Facial coverings must be worn indoors, including stores, restaurants, hotels, gyms, grocery stores and public buildings such as libraries, and they must be worn outdoors where social distancing can’t be accomplished. Violators can be fined up to $250 for the first violation and $500 for each additional violation for businesses; fines for people start at $25.
Restaurants: Indoor seating is permitted at 50% and now full outdoor seating capacity is allowed. Bartop food service is allowed to resume. Previously, restaurants were required to close from11p.m. to 5 a.m, but will now be allowed to stay open until midnight.
Stand-alone bars and nightclubs: These businesses are still closed across the state and would first require approval from the governor to resume operations.
Hookah, cigar, and other smoking bars and lounges: Closed.
Gyms: Permitted with sanitizing protocols.
Day cares: Open. Movie theaters and bowling alleys: Allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. On Nov. 8, those establishments would be allowed to increase capacity to 75%.
Public swimmingpools: Community pools are allowed to open with sanitizing rules. Shower facilities must remain closed.
Parks: Some parts, such as walking trails, at many locations are open, but social distancing is required. Playgrounds at parks are open.
Golf: A shared cart is allowed where a physical divider separates the driver and passenger, unless the players are wearing masks. Golf instruction is permitted for more than one person “if strict social distancing is followed.”
Field sports: Field and lawn sports are permitted with no more than 50 people per field, including spectators. All players and spectators must maintain 6 feet physical distancing.
Hair and nail salons:
Open, with safety protocols.
Museums: Allowed to operate at full capacity.
Libraries: All locations are open with reduced hours. Facial covers are required. A limited number of computers will be available with social distancing measures enforced. Computer users are limited to an hour computer session per day. Returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours. Members are asked to return items throughthe book drop or automated returns and to place items removed from shelves on book carts for quarantine.
Stores: Permitted to open with social distancing and sanitizing protocols.
Beaches: Open with social distancing required. Parimutuels: Closed. Tattoo shops: Permitted, with social distancing rules.
Broward County
Open containers: Open containers of alcohol are prohibited between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. in all areas open to the general public, including parks, parking lots and beaches.
Masks: Facial coverings must be worn by patrons in public spaces outside of your home, except while eating and drinking, when social distancing by 6 feet is not possible. This includes parks and beaches. A violation is a civil and criminal violation, including fines up to $1,000, or $15,000 for intentional and irreparable violations. Businesses that violate the order must close for 24 hours and can reopen only after the establishment has complied.
Restaurants: Indoor seating is permitted at 50% capacity. Outdoor seating is encouraged. Restaurants must also shut down for onsite dining from11 p.m. until 5 a.m. Restaurants can continue to operate for takeout, drive-thru and delivery services.
Bars and nightclubs: They are not allowed to open, but restaurants with bars can open as long as the bar stays closed. Patrons must only order or eat or drink while seated at the table. There is no congregating or sitting at the bar.
Hookah, cigar, and other smoking bars and lounges: Closed except for food or beverage take-out or delivery services. Retail sales, of cigars, for example, can continue.
Gyms: Allowed to operate at 50% capacity, with sanitizing rules. Facial coverings are required at all times, except while swimming or during the preswim shower.
Day cares: Allowed, with sanitizing rules.
Movie theaters and bowling alleys: Allowed to open at 50% capacity, with sanitizing rules. Groups must be socially distanced from other patron groups.
Public swimming pools: Allowed to open, with restrictions. Parks: Open, but social distancing is required. The playgrounds at parks are closed. Many rules are in place. For example, except for organized sports, tennis courts are limited to four people on the court. Basketball is allowed only for single players, except for a game of H-O-R-S-E.
Golf: Open. Players must not touch or remove the flagstick from the cups at any time. All players must stay at least 6 feet apart, and there must be no more than one player per cart, unless they live in the same household.
Field sports: Organized sports — like soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, hockey and football — are permitted at parks if the activity is part of an established athletic league or part of an organized program. Organized sports are exempt from the park limitation restricting groups to no more than 10 people. Spectators are allowed “subject to social distancing guidelines.”
Hair and nail salons: Permitted. Amongthe rules: Services must be by appointment only. Visits must be scheduled with at least15 minutes between appointments to allow time for proper disinfecting, and customers waiting for appointments are encouraged to wait outside and practice social distancing. Social distancing requirements do not apply to members of the same household.
Museums: Allowed to operate at 50% capacity, with social distancing rules. Interactive activities and exhibits must remain closed, including child play areas.
Libraries: They have stayed open for staff only, although there is a “walkup/ service to pick up reserved materials. Masked patrons wait in their cars for their turn, and then they are handed their materials in plastic bags through their car windows. Walk-up customers can retrieve materials at a designated table. All libraries except for the Galt Ocean Mile Reading Center and the Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library participate.
Stores: Allowed to open at 50% capacity, with sanitizing requirements. Facial coverings required at all times by employees and patrons. Retail establishments must post signage.
Beaches: Open with social distancing and facial coverings required. Beach restrooms and showers must be sanitized at least every three hours; no group gatherings or events of more than 10 people are permitted; and no group or organized sports, such as volleyball, are allowed.
Parimutuels: Casinos can operate if reopening plans are approved by the county and with enhanced safety guidelines.
Tattoo shops: Permit-
ted, with social distancing rules.
Miami-Dade County
Curfew: Miami-Dade County has a countywide curfew effective from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day.
Masks: They are mandated in public — indoors and outdoors. Masks must now be worn on the beach unless you are in the water. A violation is now a civil citation of $100.
Restaurants: Indoor seating is permitted at 50% capacity. Takeout and delivery is permitted.
Bars and nightclubs: They are still not allowed to open, but bars within restaurants can open if they have a restaurant license and then must follow the rules for restaurants.
Hookah, cigar, and other smoking bars and lounges: Closed.
Gyms: Permitted. But people must keep 10 feet of distance. Masks are required.
Day cares: They were never closed, but groups of 10 or fewer children are encouraged.
Movie theaters and bowling alleys: Closed.
Public swimmingpools: Permitted. At county pools, amaximum of 18 swimmers are permitted in the pool at a time, nine at a splash pad, plus limited lane swimming. Social distancing guidelines must be met.
Parks: Open for limited use such as walking or cycling, and groups of 10 people and larger are not permitted. But playgrounds at parks are closed.
Golf: Permitted. Players must not touch or remove the flagstick from the cups at any time. All players must stay at least 6 feet apart at all times, and there must be no more than one player per cart, unless they live in the
same household.
Field sports: No competitive sports are permitted. Teams up to 10 are allowed to practice skills and drills with masks (unless it’s strenuous activity). Social distancing of 6 feet is required ifwearing amask, or 10 feet with no mask.
Hair and nail salons: Permitted at 50% capacity, with social distancing requirements of 10 feet apart.
Museums: Allowed to open at 50% capacity.
Libraries: Allowed with social distancing requirements. Computers must be cleaned between patrons.
Stores: Allowed to open at 50% capacity.
Beaches: Open with social distancing required. Masks are required if social distancing isn’t possible. Parimutuels: Closed. Tattoo shops: Permitted, and must follow the same rules as a salon.