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Covid testing for restaurants -- a thread.
On June 1 The Alinea Group was notified by an employee that s/he had tested positive for Covid19. That employee had not worked in 8 days. No one else showed any systems
Nonetheless every person that worked on the same day was tested /1
On June 1 The Alinea Group was notified by an employee that s/he had tested positive for Covid19. That employee had not worked in 8 days. No one else showed any systems
Nonetheless every person that worked on the same day was tested /1
In all, just over 30 employees voluntarily got tested, TAG reimbursed the cost (around $3k) and all tested negative.
Now, we fully understand the incubation periods and consulted with several doctors about best practices. But this is about all we can do beyond PPE protocols /2
Now, we fully understand the incubation periods and consulted with several doctors about best practices. But this is about all we can do beyond PPE protocols /2
Recently, another employee informed us that s/he tested positive. Different restaurant. Same protocol. Get everyone tested immediately. Another round of testing, another $5k in expenses... another set of negative results, good news.
The system is actually working. BUT /3
The system is actually working. BUT /3
1) It is not sustainable to shut operations every time an employee is sick or suspected of having Covid.
2) with limited capacity the cost of testing employees exceeds the profits from being open
3) the mental stress of working where you *might* have been exposed is high
/4
2) with limited capacity the cost of testing employees exceeds the profits from being open
3) the mental stress of working where you *might* have been exposed is high
/4
4) we have instituted serious protocols throughout our restaurants -- but I see other restaurants in the city where outdoor spacing is too tight, employees are not wearing PPE, patrons of lining up at doors, etc.
I cannot imagine that these restaurants are spending /5
I cannot imagine that these restaurants are spending /5
thousands of $ to get proper testing and contact tracing done. And in fact there is an economic disincentive to NOT doing it.
The city, state, and federal governments need to outline strict practices both for the safety of the public and the operational liability of /6
The city, state, and federal governments need to outline strict practices both for the safety of the public and the operational liability of /6
businesses... and I simply don't see that happening at all.
With carryout business we can limit interaction between employees in the restaurant and between employees and customers. It's doable.
With regular service it's not possible.
We want to open... we want to do biz /7
With carryout business we can limit interaction between employees in the restaurant and between employees and customers. It's doable.
With regular service it's not possible.
We want to open... we want to do biz /7
but we want *every* business to do so as safely as possible so that we do not slide backwards.
Reopening and operating is *much* more difficult than closing. And tweeting this out risks scaring off customers (it should have the opposite effect... we are being safe). /8
Reopening and operating is *much* more difficult than closing. And tweeting this out risks scaring off customers (it should have the opposite effect... we are being safe). /8
but it's necessary to state: Covid positive tests will continue to happen if businesses test employees who have symptoms. The resulting requirements of quarantines / testing make it impossible to run a business.
So businesses will either ignore or close again.
So businesses will either ignore or close again.
btw -- the autocorrect on my phone killed me on this thread... I'll be more careful in the future.
Systems --> symptoms.
Systems --> symptoms.
