Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Main Street Bean Barista Alanna Tucker makes a coffee drink. Ginaveve’s Marketplace and Main Street Bean is one of the many restaurants in Downtown Safford offering curbside service during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Editor’s Note: While other municipalities in Arizona have completely closed bars and restaurants to dine-in service, Graham County is attempting to keep the establishments operating and encourages them to practice the following protocols set forth by the Graham County Department of Health and Human Services.
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GRAHAM COUNTY – Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Health Services updated the recommendations for restaurants and food establishments in “areas of known community spread”. As most should be aware by now Graham County is one of the counties that currently has a positive case of COVID-19. Due to this and the hope of our community to limit the spread of this virus we are asking the restaurants and food establishments in Graham County to follow these recommendations:
- Dine-in traffic must be discouraged and curbside pick-up or drive-thru service should be provided.
- Restaurants must establish protocols that will allow customers to have food delivered to their cars, this can include other types of food facilities as well.
- If dine-in options are to be provided, restaurants must implement “social distancing” measures so that customers can have 6 feet of space minimum between them and tables and booths including areas where customers may congregate such as around registers. An example of closing off booths or tables between each other to increase space can be effective in implementing the “social distancing”.
- Tables, booths, and counter areas that have customer contact must be properly cleaned and sanitized after each use.
- Restaurants and food establishments must develop procedures that will allow their employees to be distanced from each other as best they can.
- Restaurants must maintain high hygiene standards and require frequent handwashing between each customer interaction and should institute illness symptom checks for workers before they are allowed to enter the establishment.
The county, city, and towns are currently working on and funding an ad campaign for radio and other media outlets to promote a curbside takeout option for customers at restaurants.
As of early Thursday morning, the confirmed and the presumptive number of cases of COVID-19 in Arizona stood at 44; Maricopa County – 22, Pinal County – 10, Pima County – seven, Navajo County – three, Coconino County – one, Graham County – one.
