The following is intended as a plain-language summary of rules during the COVID-19 emergency and does not replace the need to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Indoor bowling alleys, arcades, game spaces, and casinos can open during the COVID-19 emergency subject to the limits below. However, these facilities cannot allow eating, drinking, or smoking on-site. This includes bowling, pool, ping pong, ax throwing, go carts, indoor mini-golf, escape rooms, and other indoor game facilities.

Protections Needed

Masks

• Staff and employees must wear masks at all times.
• To ensure that patrons are wearing masks at all times, eating, drinking, and smoking are not permitted in the facility.

Barriers

• Install plastic barriers at reception areas to physically separate staff and patrons.

Isolate

• Screen every staff member for symptoms each day and prevent them from remaining on-site if they have cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, or new loss of taste or smell.
• Ask all patrons to screen themselves for symptoms before entering the facility.
• It is not necessary to conduct on-site temperature measurements. If you measure temperatures, use a no-touch thermometer, and do not allow anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher to remain on-site.
• If a staff member or patron develops COVID-19 infection or has a positive test, businesses and organizations must take additional precautions to stop the virus from spreading further.

Distance

• Adjust work assignments to ensure employees can stay 6 feet from each other throughout their shifts.
• Cover or rope off equipment/tables/games/lanes to ensure that patrons remain at least 6 feet apart.
• Use floor decals or other visual cues to encourage spacing by patrons.
• Use non-contact payment methods if possible.
• Increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible.

Reduce crowds

• Limit entry to a maximum of 10 total staff and patrons for every 1,000 square feet of public and non-public space in the facility, even with masks and maintaining safe distancing.
  • Post this temporary occupancy limit publicly.
• Each room should follow occupancy limits of a maximum of 10 total staff and clients for every 1,000 square feet of public and non-public space in the room, even with masks and maintaining safe distancing.
• Limit the number of people in group games to 6.
• Patrons must remain at least 6 feet from each other and from the instructor, if applicable.
  • Post this temporary occupancy limit publicly.

Handwashing

• Place handwashing stations or hand sanitizer at entry and in each room with prominent signage promoting use.
• Give staff hourly hand-cleaning breaks.

Clean

• Wipe down high-touch surfaces with disinfectant at least every 4 hours. See CDC guidance for details.
• Wipe equipment/game tables/game pieces/balls with disinfectant between patrons.

Ventilation

• If possible, increase ventilation in the building by either:
  • Opening windows and/or doors on opposite sides of the building and using fans to blow outside air through the building OR
  • Optimizing ventilation provided by the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by:
    • Having the HVAC system checked to assure that it is working properly. If it can be adjusted, the system should be set to provide at least 6 air exchanges per hour.
    • Maximizing the amount of outside air circulated by the system.
    • Installing filters with minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) of 13, or the highest compatible with the filter rack. It is not necessary to use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters or ultraviolet light irradiation systems.
    • Checking that the external air inlet duct is not blocked and that it is at least 15 feet from people.

Communicate

• Educate staff and patrons about symptoms and prevention of COVID-19.
• Post prominent signs at facility:
  • Asking people who are sick or who have had contact with someone with COVID-19 within the past 10 days not to enter.
  • Encouraging people to cover coughs or sneezes.
  • Mandating physical distancing of at least 6 feet.
  • Mandating that all staff and patrons wear masks.

See also

• Recreational activity and sports guidance
• Gym and indoor exercise class guidance
• Cleaning, disinfecting, and ventilation (CDC)

• Text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive updates to your phone.
• If you have questions, call the Department of Public Health at (215) 685-5488.