When the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 concerns have abated somewhat, what will a night out at a restaurant look like? It’s something that plenty of people in the restaurant and bar worlds are thinking about right now. Is there a way to balance public health concerns with policies that allow restaurants to re-open?
At SFGate, Dianne de Guzman and Madeline Wells explored how restaurants in and around China have grappled with similar questions — and how what they’ve done might apply for restaurants in the United States.
The measures put in place in China include an increased number of masks — the photos accompanying the article feature numerous restaurant staff members with coverings over their noses and mouths. Decreased capacities within restaurants are also prevalent, including chairs and tables taped off to maintain social distancing, as well as partitions between booths.
Temperature checks are also abundant — both for restaurant employees, before their shifts begin, and for customers. The article also includes mention of color-coded QR codes — part of the Chinese government’s method of contact tracing. “Restaurants, based on the color of your health QR code, can either let you enter or turn diners away,” write de Guzman and Wells.
As de Guzman and Wells note, it’s unclear whether some or all of these measures will be applied in the United States. Given how the coronavirus has differed from region to region, it’s also possible that some of these measures could be applied in some areas of the country and not in others. As with many elements of the response to COVID-19, it’s likely something that will shift over time as more information is found.
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