RESOLUTION NO. 20 -_____
20
“COVID-19 – SAFER AT HOME” ORDER
WHEREAS, in order to fully and effectively respond to the developing threats posed by
the novel coronavirus and its associated disease (COVID-19), and in coordination with
ongoing emergency actions by the state and federal governments, the Pinellas County
Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution 20-16 declaring a local state of
emergency in Pinellas County (Resolution), and subsequently such extensions and orders
as have been deemed necessary have been issued pursuant thereto; and
WHEREAS, conditions presented by the threat of COVID-19 continue to pose a threat to
the public health that requires dynamic emergency response, including the maintenance
of existing orders, as well as the imposition of additional directives and orders as
conditions require; and
WHEREAS, there is reason to believe that COVID-19 is spread amongst the population
by various means of exposure, including the propensity to spread person to person and
the propensity to attach to surfaces for prolonged periods of time, thereby spreading from
surface to person and causing increased infections to persons, and property loss and
damage in certain circumstances; and
WHEREAS, despite the measures taken thus far pursuant to the Resolution, as well as
existing actions by the federal, state, and other local governments applicable to the
residents of Pinellas County, new cases of COVID-19 continue to increase within
Pinellas County demonstrating that more community action and cooperation to socially
separate and maintain distance is necessary in certain environments; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary that residents and visitors in Pinellas County do
more to avoid close social interaction, including, when possible, remaining in their
respective homes, residences, and domiciles, including any apartment, dormitory, hotel,
motel, or similar accommodation (each a “Home”) to slow the virus’ spread and address
the unprecedented threat to the public health and welfare posed by COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, it is safer to stay at home and subject to certain exceptions for essential
activities and services while allowing minimum business operations that appropriately
balance public health, safety, and welfare within the County while promoting the
continued delivery of essential infrastructure, services, and functions to residents and
visitors in the County. Such exceptions are made consistent with guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the President’s Coronavirus
Guidelines for America; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to §252.38(1), Florida Statutes, and Pinellas County Charter
section 2.04 (k), the County has jurisdictional authority over the entire county for
emergency management purposes; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the County’s statutory and Charter authority, Chapter 34 of
the Pinellas County Code sets forth provisions intended to ensure the readiness of
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 Pinellas County, provide for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare, and
preserve the lives and property of the people of Pinellas County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND DECLARED by the Board of
25 th day of March 2020:
County Commissioners of Pinellas County, Florida, this ___
That, pursuant to the Resolution declaring a local state of emergency, as extended, as an
executive order pursuant thereto, we resolve a “Safer at Home” order (Order) providing
the following requirements and restrictions:
A. Individuals in Pinellas County are ordered to:
1. Comply with the CDC guidelines by maintaining a distance of 6 feet
from other persons and by not gathering in groups of more than 10
individuals.
2. Limit non-essential activity and/or transportation to the following:
a. Primary or emergency care or direct care support for a family
member, relative, friend, or their pet
b. Healthcare and medical services
c. Groceries
d. Meal take-outs from local food establishments
e. Essential work duties that cannot be performed from home
f. Banks and related financial institutions
g. Laundry services, laundromats
h. Essential home repairs and maintenance
i. Outdoor activity while following CDC guidelines (examples
include: walking pet, hiking, biking).
j. Veterinarians and pet boarding facilities
k. Gas stations, auto-supply and auto-repair facilities
B. Places of public assembly are ordered to:
Close to the public. Whether indoors or outdoors, this includes, but is not limited to,
locations with amusement rides, carnivals, water parks, publicly accessible pools,
zoos, museums, arcades, fairs, publicly accessible children’s play centers, publicly
accessible playground equipment, theme parks, bowling alleys, pool halls, movie
and other theaters, concert and music halls, country clubs, social clubs and fraternal
organizations.
C. All places and entities conducting public and private gatherings are ordered
to:
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 1. Comply with CDC guidelines of social distancing, except as
otherwise exempted in this Order.
2. All public and private gatherings of any number of people not
meeting CDC guidance occurring outside a family unit, single
household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited
purposes permitted by this Order. Any gatherings involving groups
of ten or more may be told to disperse.
D. Businesses in Pinellas County are ordered to:
Close storefront operations and limit customer foot traffic if they do not provide
Essential Services as outlined in this Order or cannot maintain CDC social distancing
guidelines. However, businesses may continue internal and minimum basic
operations required to maintain the businesses, but are required to enforce CDC
social distancing and group gathering guidelines as it applies to their workforce. All
businesses, other than those providing Essential Services, intending to remain open
for business pursuant to this Order by maintaining compliance with CDC guidance
for social distancing and hazard mitigation and other applicable legal requirements,
must post a notice, clearly visible at all times to those present on the premises
including patrons and employees, in a form to be established by the County
Administrator. This notice will, at a minimum, clearly identify the requirements of
this Order for conducting business, provide contact information for reporting
suspected violations, and clearly indicate that the requirements of this Order have
the force of law and may be enforced by any available legal process. This Order
does not limit the number of persons who may be physically present and performing
services on-site related to the provision of Essential Services, except as expressly set
forth herein or otherwise governed by any County, State or Federal order or
regulation. Essential Services are defined to include the following:
1.

Healthcare providers and public health operations (except to the
extent precluded by the Governor's Executive Order 20-72 or any
subsequent Executive Order), including but not limited to: hospitals;
doctors' and dentists' offices; urgent care centers, clinics, and
rehabilitation facilities; physical therapists; mental health
professionals; psychiatrists; therapists; research and laboratory
services; blood banks, medical cannabis facilities; medical
equipment, devices, and other healthcare manufacturers and
suppliers; reproductive health care providers; eye care centers; home
healthcare services providers; substance abuse providers; medical
transport services; and pharmacies;

2.

Grocery stores, farmers' markets, farm and produce stands,
supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other
establishments primarily engaged in the retail sale of canned food,
dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, baby products, pet supply,
alcoholic beverages, fresh or frozen meats, fish, and tofu, and any
other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal
care products). This authorization to remain open includes stores
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 that sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and
products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and
essential operations of residences and other structures;
3.

Businesses engaged in food cultivation, including farming,
livestock, and fishing;

4.

Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services, and other
necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise
needy individuals;

5. Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services;
6. Gas stations, and auto-supply, and auto-repair facilities, as well as
supply and repair facilities servicing bicycles;
7. Banks and related financial institutions;
8. Hardware, gardening, and building material stores;
9. Contractors and other tradesmen, building and apartment
management and maintenance (including janitorial companies
servicing commercial businesses), home security firms, fire and
water damage restoration appliance repair personnel, exterminators,
and other service providers (such as landscape and pool maintenance
service providers) who provide services that are necessary to
maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of
residences and other structures;
10. Businesses primarily providing mailing, logistics, pick-up, and
shipping services, including post office boxes;
11. Private colleges, trade schools, and technical colleges, but only as
needed to facilitate online or distance learning, perform critical
research, or perform essential functions, and university, college, or
technical college residence halls, but only to the extent needed to
accommodate students who cannot return to their Homes;
12. Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers;
13. Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but
subject to the limitations and requirements of the Governor's
Executive Orders 20-68 and 20-71, and any subsequent Executive
Orders.
14. Businesses that primarily supply office products needed for people
to operate open businesses or work from home (but not including
businesses that primarily sell or lease furniture);
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 15. Businesses that primarily supply other essential businesses and
operations as stated in this Order, with the support or supplies
necessary to operate, and which do not interact with the general
public, including cybersecurity firms (but not including businesses
that primarily sell or lease furniture);
16. Businesses that primarily ship or deliver groceries, food, goods, or
services directly to residents;
17. Airlines, taxis, buses and other private transportation providers.
18. Businesses engaged in providing home-based care for seniors,
adults, or children;
19. Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, adult day care centers, and
homebased and residential settings for adults, seniors, children,
and/or people with disabilities or mental illness;
20. Businesses providing professional services, such as legal or
accounting services, to the extent those services comply with the
social distancing requirements referenced herein;
21. Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees
employed by employers exempted in this Order to work as
permitted. Childcare facilities should operate under the following
conditions: Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 10 or
fewer (inclusive of childcare providers for the group); children and
childcare providers shall not change from one group to another; if
more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each
group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix or interact
with each other, or have access to or use the same objects, materials,
or surfaces without sanitization. All play equipment used by one
group of children must be cleaned and sanitized before use by
another group of children. Any child or employee exhibiting
symptoms consistent with COVID-19 illness shall not be allowed to
stay in the childcare facility.
22. Businesses operating at any airport, or other government facility,
except as provided in the Governor's Executive Order 20-71.
23. Logistics providers, including warehouses, trucking, consolidators,
fumigators, and handlers;
24. Telecommunications providers, including sales of computer or
telecommunications devices and the provision of home
telecommunications;
25. Businesses engaged in the provision of propane or natural gas;
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 26. Businesses engaged in the provision of office space and
administrative support necessary to perform any of the above-listed
activities;
27. Businesses providing architectural, engineering, or land surveying
services;
28. Factories, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, bottling plants, or
other industrial distribution and supply chain facilities used for
essential products and industries for the U.S. domestic market;
29. Waste management services, including businesses engaged
primarily in the collection and disposal of waste;
30. Hotels, motels, other commercial lodging establishments, and
temporary vacation rentals, subject to the limitations stated in the
Governor's Executive Order 20-71.
31. Veterinarians and pet boarding facilities;
32. Mortuaries, funeral homes, and cemeteries including funeral and
cremation services;
33. Businesses providing services to any local, state, or federal
government, pursuant to a contract with such government and
provided such services relate directly to a governmental response to
the COVID-19 crisis;
34. Electrical production and distribution services.
Essential Infrastructure. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their
residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to offer, provision,
operate, maintain and repair Essential Infrastructure. Essential Infrastructure
includes, but is not limited to: food production, distribution, and sale; construction;
building management and maintenance; airport operations; operation and
maintenance of utilities, including water, sewer, and gas; electrical (including power
generation, distribution, and production of raw materials); distribution centers;
roads, highways, railroads, and public transportation; cybersecurity operations;
flood control; solid waste and recycling collection and removal; and internet, video,
and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global,
national, and local infrastructure for computing services, business infrastructure,
communications, and web-based services). Essential Infrastructure shall be
construed broadly to avoid any impacts to essential infrastructure, broadly defined.
Essential Governmental Functions. For purposes of this Order, all employees of first
responder entities as determined by the agency head, emergency management
personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, law enforcement and corrections
personnel, hazardous materials responders, child protection and child welfare
personnel, housing and shelter personnel, military, and other governmental
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 employees working for or to support Essential Services are categorically exempt
from this Order. Essential Government Functions means all services provided by
the State or any constitutional office, municipality, county, subdivision or agency of
government including public universities and colleges which are needed to ensure
the continuing operation of the government agencies or to provide for or support the
health, safety and welfare of the public, and including contractors performing
Essential Government Functions.
This Order does not affect or limit the operations of Pinellas County, any public
utility, any municipality, the Pinellas County School District, any other local
government entity in Pinellas County, or any State or Federal office or facility.
Applicability.
The provisions of this Order shall serve as minimum standards, and in no way
modify any power possessed by municipalities within Pinellas County to impose
more stringent standards within their jurisdictions.
Severability.
Any provision(s) within this Order that conflict(s) with any State or Federal law or
constitutional provision, or conflict(s) with or are superseded by a current or
subsequently-issued Executive Order of the Governor or the President of the United
States, shall be deemed inapplicable and deemed to be severed from this Order, with
the remainder of the Order remaining intact and in full force and effect. To the extent
application of some or all of the provisions of this Order is prohibited on the
sovereign land of a federally or state recognized sovereign Indian tribe, such
application is expressly excluded from this Order.
Effective Date; Duration.
___
11:27 a.m./p.m.
This Order is effective twenty-four hours after adoption as of _________
25 of March, 2020. This Order will expire upon the expiration of the existing
on ______
State of Local Emergency, as same may be extended by subsequent order or
declaration, unless earlier terminated by subsequent Order.
This Order is in addition to the Executive Orders issued by Governor DeSantis..
This Order applies to incorporated and unincorporated areas within Pinellas County,
but has no application outside of Pinellas County.
Prior resolutions and emergency orders remain in force and effect unless modified or
superseded.

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 Justice
Commissioner ______________________
offered the foregoing Resolution and
moved its adoption, which was seconded by Commissioner _____________________,
and
Peters
upon roll call the vote was:
AYES: Gerard, Eggers, Justice, Long, Peters, Seel, and Welch.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING:

None.

Or, in the absence of a quorum of the Board of County Commissioners, and in accordance
with Pinellas County Code Section 34-27:
Ordered this _____day of __________2020, at __________ a.m./p.m.
_____________________________________________

Official Authority

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