This month, a steady stream of Charleston-area restaurants have announced they're re-closing. The reason? Their employees tested positive for coronavirus. But food editor Hanna Raskin says those closings are likely to become more rare, and more businesses will keep operations going after cases are identified.
Variations of the same announcement have been coming out a steady clip this month: Restaurants that recently reopened after coronavirus restrictions were lifted said they were closing up shop again.
The reason? Their employees tested positive for COVID-19.
While some Charleston restaurant owners have adopted the unofficial course of action for businesses with a coronavirus case — post a message on social media, close for deep cleaning and reopen — many have said the state should be giving guidance on what to do.
Recently, the state health department did, and Post and Courier food editor Hanna Raskin predicts that guidance will bring the stream of closings to a halt, or at least slow them down dramatically.
In this week's podcast, Raskin discusses what that guidance is and why she thinks local restaurants that identify COVID-19 cases on their staff will likely choose, from now on, to keep operating.
We also discussed an announcement from Charleston's Wine + Food festival that got slammed by activists as being the "easiest stance" possible, how Raskin felt when she dined inside at a restaurant and why she thinks diners should assume while they're eating out that someone could have coronavirus.