COVID-19: Should I avoid crowds? Restaurants, the gym?
You’ve heard the news: Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order on Tuesday, declaring a state of emergency in North Carolina to further the COVID-19 preparedness plan. Things have changed quickly throughout the week, and on Saturday, Cooper announced an executive order to stop mass gatherings of more than 100 people. He also directed that K-12 public schools close for at least two weeks.
What does this mean for you?
Such gatherings include conferences, assemblies, sporting events, concerts and worship services. The order does not include restaurants, malls or other retail establishments.
Cooper has also recommended that employers allow people to work from home.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Humans Services (NC DHHS) recommends that people at “high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 avoid large groups of people as much as possible. This includes gatherings such as concert venues, church services, sporting events, and crowded social events.”
The department also recommends adopting lenient refund policies, finding ways to give people more physical space to limit close contact and to clean surfaces and encourage hand-washing.
Novant Health officials have said most people who contract COVID-19 will “have mild symptoms and make a full recovery.”
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) is closely monitoring developments with COVID-19 and its impact on the meetings and tourism industry.
“At CRVA-operated facilities such as the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Charlotte Convention Center, you can expect additional hand sanitizer stations, CDC signage and an increased frequency of cleaning.
But what if you’re planning on attending other events or visiting public spaces? If you’re not in a high risk group as outlined in the official statement, here’s what you can expect if you plan to be in a large crowd:
If you’re planning to visit the gym
Gyms are notoriously hubs for germs. But does the threat of coronavirus mean you have to avoid working out?
Boutique fitness centers across Charlotte are taking extra precaution to ensure clean, safe environments for their patrons.
Clary Hilliard Gray, co-owner of Hilliard Studio Method (HSM), said that the “health of the community is our #1 priority.”
“We have always maintained a daily full scrub, ceiling-to-floor, weight-to-weight, mirror-to-mirror cleanse of the studio every evening,” she said. In addition to day-to-day cleaning practices, the studio will also provide disinfecting wipes to use on weights and accessories, wipe bars with disinfecting wipes between classes, and use halotherapy (salt therapy) during and between classes to kill viruses in the air.”
The studio sent out an email to remind patrons to wash their hands, avoid touching their faces and use the provided disinfectant products to maintain a clean environment.
“Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds,” the email read. “If that seems too long, consider the 20 second plank as an alternative.”
“If you are sick or have a fever, we ask that you please stay home. Don’t worry, we promise we’ll get you back to where you want to be after some much-needed rest.”
Similar practices are being implemented at Khali Yoga Center.
“We are in the process of putting up multiple touchless hand sanitizer stations, and we have several hand sanitizer bottles at the front desk,” said Julie Cher, co-owner of Khali Yoga. “We are also giving students the options of opting in or opting out of hands-on assist in the classroom.”
You’ll also find additional cleaning products for use at Barry’s. “As always, Barry’s strives to foster a safe, inclusive and healthy environment for our community. In light of developments surrounding the coronavirus, we’re taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of our clients and staff,” a statement from studio manager Christina Stevenson said.
All Barry’s studios will be receiving disposable wipes and additional hand sanitizer. In the event that the city or state officials asks Barry’s to close studios, clients will be taken out of class, free of charge, and they’ll be notified when the gym is reopened.
An email to clients Saturday said all red rooms will be booked only at 50% capacity, guests won’t be sharing a spot and all classes would be 50 minutes, with a deep cleaning in between sessions. .
If you’re planning on going out to eat
Popular restaurants that draw crowds call for increased caution during a sensitive time. Local restaurateur Jamie Brown said she and her husband, Jeff Tonidel, have implemented new protocols to ensure the health and safety of both employees and customers.
“Obviously there are a lot of unknowns for all of us in a time like this, but we’re trying to implement best practices so our restaurant teams are ready and we have processes in place,” Brown said.
The practices will be implemented at all of the couple’s concepts in NoDa, including Haberdish, Crepe Cellar Kitchen and Pub, Growlers Pourhouse and Reigning Doughnuts.
“We have extensive hand washing regulations, as do all restaurants, and prepared food is never in contact with bare hands. This said, we want to ensure guests that we are doing our part to keep our customers and staff healthy,” Brown said.
New sanitation protocols include installing new hand sanitizers by back doors for delivery drivers, as well as by the host stands for both guests and hosts. In Haberdish bathrooms, you’ll start to see Affix foot pulls. The team will also sanitize back door handles, entry pads, bathroom door handles, light switches, sink handles and equipment handles every two hours.
In the front of house, staff will sanitize door handles, computer screens and bar equipment handles every hour. In addition to sanitizing tables, which is already required by the Health Department, chairs will be sanitized upon a guest’s departure.
“If staff members are not feeling well, we are telling them to stay home and talk with a doctor,” Brown said. “As food industry workers, this has always been a part of our mantra, but we are stepping this up to include any cold symptoms and asking employees to check their temperature before heading to work. With our new employee insurance plan, we have a Teledoc program so doctors can give patients the most current information over the phone.”
Brown also mentioned that their protocols through the Health Department already allow them to have the highest food-safety standards and cooking environment, but they’re trying to take more measures to keep the city healthy.
“Of utmost importance to us is being flexible. None of us know how this is going to go, so we are ensuring we’re prepared and have best practices in place — but we’re also looking to be nimble so we can make changes and modify protocols as we all learn more from health professionals.”
If you’re planning on attending sporting events
Sporting events draw large crowds to close seating quarters in public spaces that can hold many people at once. Most larger sporting events have been canceled or postponed, including NBA games, NHL games, NCAA games and North Carolina Interscholastic Athletics games. However, some children’s sports leagues and recreational games may remain open.
Again, officials recommend that anyone who is feeling ill, regardless of symptoms, should not attend such public events and that others at high risk avoid large groups as much as possible.
If you’re planning to see a show this weekend
First, check for cancellations. The Charlotte Ballet and Charlotte Symphony postponed shows Friday, and other arts groups delayed or canceled events, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Earlier in the week, Blumenthal Performing Arts increased hand sanitizing stations in its facilities and increased the use of anti-virus cleaning products targeting doorknobs, exit door push bars and other surfaces, the Observer reported. On Saturday, Blumenthal suspended all public events in response to Cooper’s order.
If you’re planning to visit the library
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has taken precautions by providing employees with information on precautionary measures. The team is working to put up signs with information for customers. Customers are encouraged to “follow health safety procedures.”
“We regularly clean all surfaces, computer terminals and keyboards, toys, etc. in all public spaces,” said Ann Stawski, marketing and communications leader at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. “We will continue to communicate with the public via web, social media and email as we normally do for any interruptions in service that may occur in our system.”
The library also posted a comprehensive page with links and information.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and may be updated.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 11:26 PM.
