Public safety

Four medical face masks on a blue background
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Current Restaurant & Bar Restrictions: USA

Current Restaurant & Bar Restrictions: USA

by David Klemt

Four medical face masks on a blue background

According to reporting worldwide, the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is surging and accounting for the majority of new infections.

Scientists, medical professionals, and some lawmakers and politicians are expressing concern. This is due to Omicron apparently being much more transmissible in comparison to other variants.

So far, it appears the current administration isn’t suggesting lockdowns. The CDC isn’t recommending restaurants and bars close down.

And dozens of states are not—for now—imposing new restrictions on people and businesses. However, there are nearly 20 states that have restrictions in place for restaurants and bars currently.

Of course, this situation is fluid and subject to change on a whim. As of the date of publication for this article, this is the currents state of the USA.

No Restrictions

There are, so far, 31 states have no state-mandated restrictions in place:

  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. Delaware
  6. Florida
  7. Georgia
  8. Idaho
  9. Indiana
  10. Iowa
  11. Kentucky
  12. Louisiana
  13. Maine
  14. Michigan
  15. Minnesota
  16. Mississippi
  17. Montana
  18. New Hampshire
  19. New Jersey
  20. North Dakota
  21. Oklahoma
  22. Pennsylvania (Note: Indoor diners must wear masks. Businesses can require proof of vaccination.)
  23. Rhode Island
  24. South Carolina
  25. South Dakota
  26. Tennessee
  27. Texas
  28. Utah
  29. Vermont
  30. West Virginia
  31. Wyoming

Your state may be on this list. If so, it’s still important to remain knowledgeable of current restrictions and guidelines in your area(s) of operation.

Restrictions

The following 19 states have restrictions in place. Most commonly, these are mask requirements for indoor diners.

  1. California: Indoor diners must show proof of vaccination in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Regardless of vaccine status, indoor diners must wear masks.
  2. Connecticut: Unvaccinated required to wear masks indoors.
  3. Colorado: All indoor diners must wear masks. In Boulder County, businesses can apply to receive an indoor mask exemption if they require proof of vaccination.
  4. Hawaii: All indoor diners must wear masks.
  5. Illinois: All indoor diners must wear masks.
  6. Kansas: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  7. Maryland: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  8. Massachusetts: In Boston, indoor diners must wear masks regardless of vaccination status.
  9. Missouri: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  10. Nebraska: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  11. Nevada: Requirements vary by county but for the most part, all indoor diners must wear masks.
  12. New Mexico: All indoor diners must wear masks.
  13. New York: Indoor diners must show proof of vaccination, and masks are required to dine indoors. Unvaccinated required to wear masks indoors.
  14. North Carolina: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  15. Ohio: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.
  16. Oregon: All indoor diners must wear masks. If physical distancing isn’t possible in outdoor areas, masks must be worn by outdoor guests as well.
  17. Virginia: All indoor diners must wear masks.
  18. Washington: All indoor diners must wear masks.
  19. Wisconsin: Requirements vary by county for indoor dining, so check current local guidelines.

So Far, No Lockdowns

Some restaurants and bars have closed temporarily. These decisions are fueled by myriad factors, including spikes in infections in their markets or staff testing positive for Covid. So far, many of these businesses plan to reopen a day or two before New Year’s Eve.

It may be difficult to be optimistic at the moment. However, more than 70 percent of Americans have received one dose of an approved vaccine. Over 60 percent have received two doses. And nearly 20 percent have received a booster.

While alarmed, reporting shows that scientists and medical professionals aren’t anticipating nationwide lockdowns.

Image: Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash

The Next Step chalk concept with footprints
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

What the B.C. Restart Means for Operators

What the B.C. Restart Means for Operators

by David Klemt

The Next Step chalk concept with footprints

In news that’s not exactly surprising, the British Columbia “circuit breaker” expiration didn’t lead to a full reopening.

Instead, the province is launching the B.C. Restart plan.

Obviously, not returning to restriction-free restaurant and bar service is disappointing. However, the plan does give operators dates against which they can plan for staffing, inventory, and other aspects of running their businesses.

Of course, that’s only if officials execute the plan as-is.

Not Surprising

As B.C. operators are well aware, the expiration of the province’s “circuit breaker” doesn’t mean they can return to pre-pandemic operations. Clearly, it would’ve been helpful to the province’s hospitality operators for officials like Premier John Horgan to have made that clear last week.

Resources are razor thin and have been since the start of the pandemic and pandemic-driven shutdowns and restrictions. The more lead time officials can provide hospitality operators to prepare for changes to Covid-19 operational protocols, the better.

Let me say that again for any officials who may read this: Restaurant, bar and other hospitality businesses need more than a few days’ notice to prepare for rule changes.

As long as B.C. Restart targets are hit and numbers don’t head in the wrong direction, at least the new plan is clearer than last week’s expiration announcement.

Four-step Plan

B.C. Restart targets four dates that should remain in place as long as Covid-19 case, hospitalization and death rates remain low. Conversely, the province is seeking increases in adult vaccination rates (for dose one).

Unsurprisingly, the province is now in step one of the four-step B.C. Restart plan. The goal is to achieve a 60-percent dose-one vaccination rate among the province’s adult population. A mask mandate is in place provincewide, as are safety protocols like social distancing. Indoor and outdoor dining is restricted to a maximum of six people, with safety protocols.

The earliest date for step two to begin is June 15 and targets a 65-percent adult vaccination rate. B.C.’s mask mandate remains, as do business safety protocols and physical distancing measures. Interestingly, the province’s travel restrictions are removed.

Step three starts on June 1 at the earliest, targeting a 70-percent adult inoculation rate, low Covid-19 case rate, and decline in hospitalizations. Officials will announce new PPE and social distancing guidelines, organized indoor and outdoor gathering capacity will increase, and nightclubs and casinos will reopen (with capacity limits and safety protocols).

If all goes to plan, September 7 is the earliest start to step four, which targets a dose-one adult vaccination rate of more than 70 percent. B.C. will permit a return to “normal” social contact.

For Operators

Restaurant and bar operators—at the moment—should focus on steps one and two of B.C. Restart.

The reason is simple: During steps one and two, restaurants and bars must operate under the pre-circuit-breaker health and safety protocols.

So, operators must follow these rules for step one:

  • Indoor and outdoor dining capacity: 6 people
  • Liquor service curfew: 10:00 PM

And the following for step two:

  • Indoor and outdoor dining capacity: 6 people
  • Liquor service curfew: Midnight

Should things stay on track, step three will rescind the liquor service curfew, and there will be no group limit for indoor and outdoor dining.

Obviously, B.C. Restart isn’t what operators wanted when officials announced the expiration of the circuit breaker. However, the new plan does allow operators to plan ahead and gives us a glimpse of a light at the end of a very long, very erratic, very dark tunnel.

To review the plan in more detail, click here.

Image: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Covid-19 vaccine ampoules
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Ontario F&B Workers Petition for Phase 2

Ontario F&B Workers Petition for Phase 2

by David Klemt

Covid-19 vaccine ampoules

A petition on Change.org seeks to include F&B workers in Phase 2 of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Ontario, Canada.

The petition, which can be found here, is directed toward Ontario, Canada, Premier Doug Ford.

Currently, Ontario is in the midst of Phase 1 of Covid-19 vaccination.

Phase 1

Per the official Ontario Government website, Phase 1 aims to vaccinate around 1.8 million people.

The phase breakdown is as follows:

  • One: High-risk populations (December through March)
  • Two: Mass deliveries of vaccinations (April through July)
  • Three: Steady state (July onward)

Those eligible for Phase 1 inoculations are:

  • Health care workers
  • Adults in First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations
  • Adult chronic home care recipients
  • Congregate living for seniors
  • Adults over 80 years old

According to the Covid-19 Tracker Canada website, 1,116,496 vaccine doses have been administered throughout Ontario. In total, slightly more than six percent of the Canadian population has received at least one dose.

Phase 2

The second phase seeks to vaccinate approximately nine million people.

Eligible people are:

  • at-risk populations;
  • individuals with high-risk chronic conditions, and their caregivers;
  • high-risk congregate settings (such as shelters, community living, etc.);
  • adults aged 60 to 79, in 5-year increments; and
  • essential frontline workers who cannot work from home.

The requirement in bold should get the attention of all restaurant, bar and foodservice workers. Ontario identifies several “essential frontline workers” eligible for Phase 2. Among them are elementary and secondary school staff, police, firefighters, special constables, and social counselors.

However, high- and low-risk retail workers are on the list while restaurant and foodservice workers are not.

The Petition

Cassie MacKell is the person behind the petition to “Include Restaurant & Food Service Workers on Ontario’s Phase 2 Vaccination List.”

MacKell’s opening statement says, “I write this letter as a cry for help from the entire Food & Beverage industry of Ontario in regard to Ontario’s phase vaccine distribution plan.”

The petition’s creator goes on to say:

“As one of the hardest hit industries from Covid-19 why am I not seeing restaurants workers on this list? From the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic restaurants across Ontario have been heavily regulated and shut down by Premier Ford. Even after adhering to stringent restrictions and safety guidelines set forth by our government the framework continues to keep us closed, or only allows for limited seating capacity making it impossible for many businesses to survive.”

In closing, MacKell lays bare the situation for Ontario (and indeed all of Canada) foodservice professionals. Workers in this industry are exposed to people not wearing masks while they eat or drink; are unable to remain six feet from guests; and certainly can’t work from home.

Put bluntly, all those who work in foodservice are high-risk frontline professionals. If you agree and live in Ontario, Canada, please sign this petition.

Image: Alena Shekhovtcova from Pexels

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