May 1, 2020: FACE COVERING GUIDELINES

North California Farmers Markets have been fortunate to not experience a shortage of food-supply. UVFM is especially proud of how quickly we are able to respond and implement new systems to keep our farmers working, our urban communities fed, crowding to a minimum, and maintain an orderly, clean, safe shopping experience during these unprecedented times. We are not always perfect, but it is light years better than most alternatives.

  • What kind of face covering should I wear?
    According to the CDC, a face covering is any fabric or cloth that covers the nose, mouth, and surrounding areas of the lower face. The face covering helps prevent a person who is unknowingly sick from spreading the virus to others. Wearing an N95 rated mask (without a valve) is the #1 best option: it filters smoke particles caused by nearby wildfires from entering the lungs, while also keeping you, and those around you, safe from Covid-19.

  • What should I NOT wear?
    Any mask that has a one-way valve designed to facilitate easier exhaling does not qualify as a face covering under the Covid order and should not be used unless covering up the valve. These valves typically have a white raised plastic disk about the size of a quarter on the front or side of the mask. Valves of that type allow moisture droplets out of the mask and actually propel germs further than if you weren't wearing a mask at all, putting others nearby at risk. If you only have access to an N95's with a valve, then it is recommended to double up by adding a face shield or additional cloth mask over it. Click Here to learn more.

  • Face Shields: It is not known by the CDC if face shields without a mask provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. If for medical reasons you cannot wear a cloth mask, we will accept Face Shields with extra booth distancing protocols until the CDC becomes more clear on this matter. If face shields are used without a cloth mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend well below the chin. Ideally a scarf or fabric material around your neck to “close” the bottom opening is recommended.

  • Helpful Resources:
    June 29th CDPH Mandate
    June 28th CDC Evidence for Effectiveness of Cloth Face Coverings
    Masks with one-way valves Do Not protect from spreading Covid-19
    Effectiveness of household materials for DYI Masks

CROWD CONTROL

  • Rearranged Layout. We have and will be relocating entire rows of vendors to manage proper distancing. If you can’t locate your favorite vendor, please ask a staff person at the INFO BOOTH to help you find who you are looking for.

  • Queues. 6ft line spacing is delineated at most stalls by chalk bubbles, orange cones, and/or colored surveyors tape. If a line reaches its designated maximum length (marked by a barricade or chalk line), please visit another booth until that line shortens. This will help keep multiple lines from running into each other. Please also respect “Line Breaks” clearing a pathway for others to safely cross through a queue.

  • Limiting numbers. If/when crowds get too dense, staff will ask customers to wait in an "Over-Flow Line" outside of the market perimeter or on sidewalks until enough customers leave to keep things spacious inside the market. Please help us achieve this by volunteering to wait there if you feel it is getting too crowded inside. 

  • See our Volunteer Form for more ways you can help.

CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS

  • Square Payments. Vendors who take cards will have the customer swipe their own card. The seller will ask to "sign for you" with an X. This eliminates the need for anyone to touch your card, and you don't touch their machines. Vendors will also be sanitizing their machines and surfaces frequently throughout the 4 hours of market operation.

  • Cash Payments. Booths with 2+ staff will have a dedicated person handling all payments, and another handling products. Booths staffed with only one person will have various creative solutions. They may ask you to put your money in a box and take your change out yourself, OR, they may handle your money but ask you to pick and bag your own products, or they may utilize the “single task per hand” method, as trained by the Dept of Health.

SHOPPING METHODS:

  • Deli-Style Farm Stands Some Stands, staffed with many workers, will be selecting and bagging produce for you. This means a very small handful of farmers will have ever touched the food you are buying! (The produce coming from Online /Grocery stores typically travel through at least 25 touchpoint distributions centers before arriving at your house. Yes, our method slows things down, but it keeps both the public and our farm workers extremely safe.

  • Wash & Self-Serve Style Farm Stands: Some stands, with fewer staff available, may set up a customer wash station at the entrance of their stand and restrict entry to a maximum number of customers at a time. Customers wash their hands before entering then can self-pick their own produce. Remember to Shop With Your Eyes & Buy What You Touch.

  • No two booths are the same so please do not expect full uniformity across them. ALL UVFM sellers are adhering to strict safety protocol, but depending on their product type and booth size, different systems will work best for different vendors (and shoppers). Choose to shop at the booths that you feel most comfortable with and remember that the expectation is always that you wash produce before consumption.

      

Additional Market Safety Guidelines:

  • Staying informed: As a Certified California Farmers' Market Operator, UVFM is in very close and constant communication with local health departments for up to date details in the various communities in which we operate. We are following all alerts being offered by state and county-level health officials, and are prepared to act accordingly.

  • Spacing booths to ensure social distancing of six feet per person for non-family members is maintained and make clear that family members can participate in activities together, stand in line together, etc.

  • Limit the number of customers at any given time as necessary to reduce crowding and lines to meet social distancing guidance.

  • Masks/face coverings : It is mandatory for all vendors and customers to wear non-valved masks while at the market.

  • Gloves & hand sanitizer are available (as supplies last) at the Information Booth for anyone to use.

  • No food sampling until further notice.

  • Increase frequency of cleaning of tables, payment devices, and other surfaces.

  • Restaurants "To-Go" Only. (Oakland Only: No Hot Food) Here is how you can support them

  • Non-Essentials cancelled (Ss deemed by the State), such as Artists & Musicians. Here is how you can support them

  • Soap or skin care makers will be allowed to sell at markets.

  • No customer seating to reduce an accumulation of crowds and keep all customer traffic "in transit”.

  • Enforcement of vendor hand-washing. Vendors are trained to set up a soapy hand-wash station in their booths.

  • Vendors are required to cancel attendance with any sign of illness or suspected exposure.

  • Customers & Vendors at high risk or with any symptoms of illness are asked to stay home and send a proxy on their behalf.

  • Washing fruit and produce before consumption is recommended before consumption, as always.


    Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring our markets are a healthy and safe place for everyone!

Ron Pardini
Executive Director

Urban Village Farmers Market Association