{"id":23658,"date":"2020-05-13T08:46:34","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T13:46:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/?p=23658"},"modified":"2020-05-13T08:46:34","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T13:46:34","slug":"wednesday-update-114","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/13\/wednesday-update-114\/","title":{"rendered":"Wednesday update"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having been out a few times this past week, I’ve learned a few things that restaurants and other businesses are required to do to ensure their compliance with COVID-19 protocols. I wanted to pass these things on for the information of those in that industry. Note: This is not legal advice.<\/strong><\/em> I am not a lawyer, and I speak only for myself. Just trying to help as a concerned citizen.<\/p>\n

First of all, a copy of what the business is doing to be COVID-19 protocol compliant is supposed to be posted on every public entrance of a business. That means, on the front door. I believe the form they’re talking about is this one<\/a>. This is the first thing inspectors look for when they’re visiting a business. Some restaurant owners have been so busy with re-hiring employees, PPP loans, inventory, etc. that this requirement has been overlooked.<\/p>\n

The second big thing that inspectors will look for is whether restaurant employees are wearing face masks at all times. The masks can’t be pulled down so that nose and\/or mouth are uncovered, and they can’t be hanging from one ear. Some people find the masks uncomfortable to breathe in, but for now, that’s the requirement.<\/p>\n

HOWEVER… this week a friend of mine, who was a customer in a restaurant, was told by an inspector that he should have had a mask on too, that customers are required to wear masks as well as employees. I believe the inspector is wrong in this case.<\/strong><\/em> There is a proposed ordinance in City Council, to have its second reading May 19, to require citizens to wear masks whenever out in public. However, that proposal has not yet passed.<\/p>\n

Part of the confusion is a result of the Code Enforcement office being assigned to investigate complaints. These types of investigations are new to them, and they might have inspected a gym, a retail store and a hair salon the same day as a restaurant. It’s understandably hard to keep guidelines they learned less than 2 weeks ago straight for so many different types of businesses.<\/p>\n

The guidance for Phase 1<\/a> has been updated for restaurants to say that bar areas should remain closed. That was not in the original guidelines that were posted on April 30 when Back-to-Business was announced, and I wish more attention had been drawn to the guidelines at the time they were revised. Anyway, if you own or manage a restaurant, it would be advisable to pull seating away from your bar.<\/p>\n

Also, it has been said in the daily noon press conferences that Code Enforcement has people working multiple shifts. Do not assume it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows and drop the face masks and pull out the bar chairs.<\/p>\n

‘Nother thing I learned… phase 1 allows restaurants and many other businesses to re-open at up to 50% capacity… the key words being up to<\/em><\/strong>. Your business may have a capacity of 250, but you can still get in trouble for having 125 in there if your business is laid out in such a matter that 125 people could not be six feet apart.<\/p>\n

I’ll make one final general piece of advice, and this applies to all businesses, not just restaurants. The more visible the inside of your business is from the outside, the more you need to make sure you are in compliance with COVID-19 protocol for your industry.<\/strong><\/em> I am fairly well convinced there are people with nothing better to do than drive around town who look for violations to report.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of local restaurants out there who have yet to re-open, and I hope these tips help when they do. Again, do not take this as the Law and Prophets. If anything I said above was factually incorrect, email me at paul@paulryburn.com, point me to the official source, and I will issue a correction.<\/p>\n

Let’s move on to the news, which starts off with a couple of re-openings in the near future. First of all, Ghost River:<\/p>\n

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Check out our new rules and hours! pic.twitter.com\/3sUXCOKs2O<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Ghost River Brewing (@GhostRiverBrew) May 12, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n