On June 15th, California is set to lift COVID-19 restrictions applied to restaurants and businesses, although a mask mandate will still be in place.
In a statement issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the belief is that “with more than 20 million vaccines administered across the state, it is time to turn the page on our tier system and begin looking to reopen California’s economy fully. We can now begin planning for our lives post-pandemic.”
While California officials may believe that vaccination rates will be high enough to resume significant parts of life by mid-June, what could this mean for your restaurant?
California keeps track of COVID through a tracking system that indicates that over 3.5 million cases and 58,000 deaths have been recorded. It also notes that over 20 million vaccinations have been administered, possibly signaling a move towards a less restricted future.
California knows about restrictions, maintaining the strictest among the states. Using a color-coded tier system, California was able to limit capacity to many public businesses. Now, many of these businesses are slated to reopen.
Is Your Restaurant Prepared?
Starting June 15, restaurants can enjoy the same freedom as pre-pandemic days. However, the mask mandate requires guests and staff to continue wearing masks.
What this means for your restaurant is no limited service capacity for indoor spaces, shortened hours or cut-offs for bars that don’t have a restaurant, and a move towards a safer, healthier future.
This isn’t a signal that all is clear; citizens and businesses alike must continue to keep their guard up for a while longer.
Still, this is a clear sign that we are moving closer to pre-pandemic levels of freedom and security. According to Gov. Newsom, we can look forward to more than 30 million newly vaccinated people with at least one dose by the end of the calendar month. “It’s incumbent on all of us not to announce mission accomplished, not to let down our guard,” noted Newsom.
Failing to follow some safety guidelines may shut down the reopening.
June 15 Marks an Important Milestone
While it’s difficult to predict what the future holds, it seems clear that many have great hopes for it. An almost complete reopening of California’s regulations can provide a barometer of how things might go for other states.
California’s reopening will comply with OSHA requirements and public health mandates, including masking, testing, and continued vaccinations. Large outdoor events may be allowed to be held with regular testing and vaccination verification.
Our Restaurant Training Program Can Help
Remaining in compliance with OSHA and public safety regulations is deeply important to the safety and future of your business and clientele.
It’s no better time that NOW to incorporate a restaurant training program like Synergy Sync that can help train staff on essential practices to help run your foodservice operation efficiently