Thread by @cfishman

Restaurants around the country that re-opened are finding staff members who test positive for coronavirus — and deciding to close again.

This is why keeping the service economy going in this pandemic is so hard.

A thoughtful WashPost story.

washingtonpost.com/news/voracious…

2/ One restaurant got news of covid-positive staff member during Friday dinner hour. The owner went table to table telling patrons the restaurant was closing.

Restaurant owners throughout the piece (& the country) despair of good advice if server or kitchen staff test positive.

3/ Are they supposed to close? Or just clean?

The person who is positive quarantines. What about everyone else?

How do you tell customers?

Do you get testing for every staff member?

If you close, when do you re-open? What do you do when the next staff member tests positive?

4/ That's a restaurant.

What about dentist's office.
Bank branch. Nail salon. Fish market.
Your daughter's middle school.

Masks are the least we can do.

Valuable story.

We haven't thought about this stage of things, or how to handle it calmly & safely.
washingtonpost.com/news/voracious…

5/ Not to mention wisely.
. . .
It's not just the business.

Restaurant staffers interviewed point out that in can be easier if all business is ordered closed. You have no choice.

Once the restaurant opens, they feel they have to work, to earn a living. Even if they are scared.