REOPENING INDOOR DINING

The lifting or easing of COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining in Oregon prematurely may cost the sacrifices made during the first wave of the pandemic – or worse – for the service industry.

Anxieties are high inside bars and restaurants as Gov. Kate Brown has issued a new green light to reinstate indoor dining. Her latest orders raise legal occupancy in restaurants and bars from 0% to 25% of capacity in several counties across the state effective Friday, Feb. 26, including Clackamas and Washington counties in the Portland metro area.

Food establishments are challenged with the difficult decision of what is the best way to keep the public and employees safe while they continue to struggle to recover financially from previous COVID shutdowns. Many are deciding the safest way is to keep their doors closed and their outdoor patios open.

The reintroduction of indoor dining has historically caused spikes in COVID cases and related deaths during 2020, and has put employees, as well as the public, at greater risk. Reinstated shutdown orders and stay-at-home requirements in response to these spikes continue to be a pattern in the timeline of the pandemic, so far.

The lift on restrictions in Oregon comes at a time when the serious health effects of the pandemic are continuing to hit hard against the service industry.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that indoor dining at bars and restaurants poses one of the highest risks of spreading COVID-19. Food service workers have a greater risk of exposure to the easily transmissible disease and the new variants emerging across Oregon. Research supports these claims: A recent California study suggests line cooks are suffering among the highest mortality rates of all professions during the pandemic, the threat especially high for people of color. Some employees in the service industry are fearful of wider reopening of indoor dining and are asking to be considered for an early vaccination tier.

However, with reported vaccination shortages and obscure distribution procedures, there is still no definitive timeline on when these essential (but non-healthcare) workers will be able to receive a protective vaccine. As discussed in an article published by Eater, a Portland food and dining magazine, the local service industry’s reaction to reinstated indoor dining is pensive, and wary. One front-of-house worker described the “difficulties in enforcing mask wearing and other safety precautions” challenging enough under the previous limits. Patrons’ disregard for safety protocols are becoming more prominent as the pandemic drags on, the story notes.

Pre-COVID, hospitality workers were expected simply to ensure a positive experience for guests. Now the expectation for these low-wage workers is to ensure safety from the coronavirus for themselves, their coworkers, and the general public – not an easy or desirable task.

Instead, by sticking to the to-go delivery model used for months now, businesses can provide service at a safer distance. And Oregonians can continue to support local bars and restaurants that are staying creative during these challenging times.

More specifically, here’s a few ways to do so, without greater risk:

– Grab a to-go cocktail. The hospitality industry worked tirelessly towards a goal, and on Dec. 21, 2020, Oregon legalized the sale of offsite alcohol for consumption as a way for establishments to boost sales and stay connected with their patrons.

– Buy a gift card for you and a friend. Cut out the middleman and order directly through the business, if possible. Establishments have seen a substantial loss of profits due to delivery service fees.

– Continue to drink/dine outdoors. Outdoor space heaters and covered structures are keeping customers comfortable and warm during the cold winter months. Those structures weren’t cheap and they’ll likely continue to be the preferred table setting until we begin to see the end of the COVID-19 global pandemic.