Social Distancing and Administrative Order Compliance Reminder

As COVID-19 cases increase across the country and in New Jersey, the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) reminds all health care practitioners of their responsibility to comply with guidelines set forth in governor-issued executive orders and division-issued administrative orders. In particular, the division notes that DCA Administrative Order No. 2020-07 establishes standards for the safe provision of in-person, office-based health care and mitigating the spread of COVID-19, including requirements that healthcare practitioners:

• Ensure social distancing within offices by maintaining six feet or more distance between individuals wherever possible and spacing appointments to minimize patient-to-patient contact and the number of people in the office at any given time.
• Require clinical staff to wear PPE consistent with the level of risk, using professional judgment regarding the potential for exposure and PPE resource constraints, and consistent with CDC guidance.
• Require anyone coming to the office to wear a cloth face covering (at a minimum) in accordance with CDC recommendations, except where doing so would inhibit the individual’s health or the individual is under two years of age.

For more information on the minimum requirements for providing healthcare services in office practices, click here .

Please be aware that failure to comply with any applicable Executive Orders and Administrative Orders may result in your licensing board taking disciplinary action. Thank you for your continued efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Sincerely,

Paul R. Rodríguez

Acting Director

Division of Consumer Affairs

New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety