CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Outdoor dining is a requirement for the restaurants that will start to more fully reopen across West Virginia as soon as next week following mandated closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At The Olive Tree Cafe and Catering in Kanawha County, Michael Jarrouj, the owner, said existing outdoor space was being reworked to comply with guidelines for social distancing and reducing contact between people.
Other guidelines from Governor Jim Justice’s Administration addressed cleaning and sanitizing, food safety and communicating with customers.
“We’re going to space it out. We have to cut down the occupancy just a little bit. We have to keep it safe really and I think that we hope the customers that are going to come in are going to be courteous to each other and respect each other’s space,” Jarrouj said.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was a little nervous about it, but we have to utilize the same science to justify opening that we used to justify closing.”
Jarrouj’s restaurant has stayed open in recent weeks with carryout and delivery.
Outdoor dining additions were in Week Two of a weeks-long plan from the Justice Administration to begin to reopen businesses in the Mountain State.
“We are extremely excited and happy to be able to do that,” said Carol Fulks, executive director of the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association.
“I think that there are a lot of outdoor dining restaurants already and this is really a great opportunity for those restaurants that don’t have drive thrus. This is another revenue generator for those individuals.”
The reopening framework released Tuesday indicated officials with the state Alcohol Beverage Control Administration had been developing a streamlined process with no fees for temporary expansions of floor space to include new or expanded outdoor dining space.
The following specifics were provided as guidelines for physical distancing at outdoor dining locations.
– Distance: Update plans for outdoor dining areas, redesigning seating arrangements to ensure at least six feet of separation from seating to seating. Clear paths must be designated to allow diners to enter and exit the outdoor dining area without breaking the six feet social-distancing barriers.
– Party size: Limit outdoor dining party size at tables to no more than six.
– Party type: Enforce social distancing of those not residing together while present on such entity’s leased or owned property.
– Waiting areas: Do not allow patrons to congregate in waiting areas. Design a process to ensure patron separation while waiting to be seated outside or pick up their take-away order that can include ground markings, distancing, or waiting in cars.
– Dining only: Limit activity to outdoor dining or pickup of food or beverages to be taken away. No live music, and all restaurant playgrounds shall remain closed.
Not adhering to the guidelines, state officials said, could lead to the suspension of a restaurant’s license to operate or ABCA license along with other enforcement measures.
“We really, really need these workers to come back and help us as we begin to reopen completely,” said Fulks.
As for customer returns to The Olive Tree, “Some of them are going to be dashing out and there are some that are still going to be utilizing our curbside and our delivery and that’s okay too,” Jarrouj said.
“I think that everybody has to be okay with their own personal decision in that.”
It’ll be at some point in Week 3 through Week 6 before dining in at restaurants is allowed.
Specifics on the opening schedule for those businesses and others will be based upon the recommendations of state medical experts and upon testing data available at that time, according to information from the Justice Administration.
Governor Justice had set a threshold of a three percent infection rate in West Virginia, positive COVID-19 tests divided by total test numbers reported to the state Department of Health and Human Resources on three consecutive days for reopening triggers.
Other businesses in Week 3 through Week 6 included office/government buildings, specialty retail stores, parks and/or restrooms and facilities at parks, gyms, fitness centers, recreation centers, hotels, casinos, spas/massage establishments and other businesses.
Since March 18, restaurants have only been allowed to serve customers through delivery, drive thru or carryout service.
Jarrouj said the cooperation over the weeks was inspiring.
“Folks that have been competitors before are working together, helping each other get things, helping boost each other, different restaurants working together, and the folks that have been coming in, coming to get the curbside, have been very, very, very supportive,” he said.
“It’s amazing to see how West Virginians can come together in a moment of adversity.”
On March 24, a stay-home order for the Mountain State took effect which directed all West Virginians to remain at home and limit any movements beyond their homes to essential needs.
As of Wednesday, no date had been set for the lifting of the stay-home order.
Reopenings in this week’s Week 1 included resumptions of elective and non-emergency procedures at hospitals plus restarts for other health care providers and day cares where employees had been tested for COVID-19.
Week Two reopenings, beginning on May 4 with outdoor dining, included businesses with less than 10 employees, professional services such as hair and nail salons or barbershops by appointment only and restarts for church services and funeral services with crowd limits.
No one was required to reopen on the state’s timeline.
During the reopening process, state officials said West Virginians should continue to keep at least six feet away from others and wear face coverings in public when other distancing measures were not possible.
Michael Jarrouj, Owner and Operator of the Olive Tree restaurant and @cfWVHTA, Executive Director of @WVHTA, speak with Hoppy Kercheval about reopening restaurants. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/GrqZ7mJbXZ
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) April 29, 2020