As you consider reopening and are making plans to get your restaurant ready, it is important to ensure you know the proper protocol if an employee tests positive for COVID-19. Our local Mayor and Governors have all warned that as the region begins to reopen, cases will rise, so you need to know the immediate steps to take.
Steps to Take if an Employee Tests Positive:
Step One
: Call your local Department of Health and report the case. They can also provide specific guidance for your restaurant on how to handle operations and disinfecting. DC DOH, VDH, MDH.
Step Two
: Determine if your restaurant needs to shut down for additional cleaning. According to the CDC, in most cases, you do not need to shut down your facility.
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If it has been 7 days or more since the sick employee used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary. Your continued routine cleaning and disinfecting of all high-touch surfaces in the facility is sufficient.
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If it has been less than 7 days since the sick employee has been in the facility, close off any areas used for prolonged periods of time by the sick person. Wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting to minimize potential for other employees being exposed to respiratory droplets. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible.
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CDC cleaning and sanitizing information can be found here.
Step Three
: Exclude the employee from the facility until cleared by their healthcare provider to return to work.
Step Four
: Notify employees that a co-worker they have been in contact with has tested positive for COVID-19. All employees from the food establishment that have come into contact with a positive case of COVID-19 should be restricted from the establishment.
Step Five
: Encourage employees who came in contact with the infected person to get tested. Testing Site Info: DC, VA, MD.
Next week DC DOH will start hosting required 20 minute webinars for those operators reopening for outdoor dining. While it is likely only one of you will be required, we encourage you to join this webinar with your managers and key team members and come prepared with all of your questions. We will share more information once it is available.
It is also recommended that you proactively contact your insurance agent before reopening to inquire as to whether you are covered for liability in the event a guest contracts COVID-19 and claims they became infected from your restaurant.
PPP Update
To close, yesterday, the House of Representatives listened to our industry and passed a bipartisan bill fixing the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act makes desperately-needed improvements for restaurants with PPP loans, including:
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24-week covered period (instead of 8)
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60/40 split (instead of 75/25)
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Loan forgiveness still applies if FTEs won’t come back, or if revenue in December is below Feb 2020 levels.
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Five year loan-repayment terms for future PPP loans
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Payroll tax deferment restored
Click here
for a full breakdown of the legislation. The bill was approved overwhelmingly in the House, but it has an uncertain path in the Senate.
