The purpose of this Guide to Safely Reopening and Operating Your Business is to provide businesses with the best known guidance to ensure consumer confidence and promote community health in the age of COVID-19. As North Carolina businesses prepare to open and resume operations, precautions and policy suggestions outlined in this guide should be taken to protect employees and customers.

These recommendations come from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), with additional guidance from local public and environmental health professionals. There are specific measures businesses of all types can take to aid in a safe, thoughtful reopening. The recommendations in each category support the overall goal of opening businesses in a way that protects employees and customers from exposure to COVID-19 and helps prevent the spread of the virus.