Dealing with Properties That Ignore COVID-19 Precautions

What to Do When Businesses Don’t Take COVID-19 Precautions Seriously

COVID-19 has not only changed the way that people live their lives but also the ways that businesses operate. Businesses are recognized to have certain obligations to help stem the spread of this pandemic, but not all of them are willing to take the virus quite as seriously as they should. This raises the important question of what an individual should do when a business refuses to take COVID-19 precautions seriously.

Start with the Facts About COVID-19 Precautions

When determining whether or not a property is taking the coronavirus seriously, it’s important to try to put aside matters of personal preference. Though you may have strong feelings about what constitutes a proper response, not every property owner is going to have the same priorities as you. Instead, you’ll want to look for specific guidance in order to determine what a reasonable response looks like.

The best place to gather this information is from local government sources. Bodies like the Department of Health have state guidelines for businesses as do the various municipalities. It’s vital that you use these same guidelines to determine if the properties with which you interact are adhering to a minimal level of safety when it comes to COVID-19 precautions.

Beginning with the Basics

While it’s possible to look at the various state and federal guidelines to find out if a business is taking all of the recommended steps to protect both its customers and its workers, it’s somewhat easier to take a quick look around and determine if the property is doing the bare minimum for those who come inside. In the vast majority of cases, this will require taking a look around to see both if masks are required for entry and if masks are actually worn by those who are on the grounds of the property.

Masks are not the only basics to observe, however. Other common COVID-19 precautions include limiting the number of people who can be inside a space and encouraging those who are inside to remain 6 feet apart from one another whenever possible. Though there are certainly exceptions to these two rules, it’s fairly easy to look around to see if a business is making any effort whatsoever to provide for proper social distancing.

Who’s in Control?

Another good way to tell if a property is taking coronavirus precautions seriously is to look at what happens when a precaution is violated. If you see someone in a business without a mask, watch to see if anyone reminds the individual to put a mask back on. While there will always be individuals who seek to circumvent basic safety precautions, businesses that are taking their role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 will make an effort to minimize their impact.

It’s also a good idea to determine whether or not the property makes any real efforts to enforce its COVID-19 prevention rules among its staff. If a sign out front says that masks are mandatory but no one inside is actually wearing a mask, you may be looking at a situation in which that business is only attempting to create an image of following proper social distancing and transmission protocols instead of actually doing anything to protect those within the property.

What to Do Next

In many cases, the best way to handle a business that’s not taking a coronavirus restriction seriously is to speak to someone who is in charge of the business. If the property is actually in violation of any kind of municipal or state law, you’ll want to get in contact with the appropriate state agency in order to ensure that they are investigated. If their actions lead to a COVID-19 infection, you should also contact a personal injury attorney.

If you believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19 in the New Brunswick or Somerville, NJ, areas and test positive for the illness, it’s vital that you hold the property owners responsible for their lack of action. If a property owner refuses to enforce the basic protocols surrounding COVID-19 prevention, he or she may very well be seen as negligent for his or her failure to do so. If you’ve contracted COVID-19 and you think that another party’s refusal to follow protocols is at fault, make sure to contact a a personal injury attorney at RAM law at 1-866-RAMLaw1 to ensure that these public health hazards don’t continue to cause harm.