SC restaurants don’t have to close after confirmed COVID-19 cases among staff
South Carolina health officials offer guidance but do not force restaurants to close if an employee tests positive for coronavirus.
The state’s guidance comes as several Myrtle Beach area restaurants recently announced they were closed for cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurants include:
- Oscars in North Myrtle Beach
- Greg Norman’s at Barefoot Landing
- Molly Darcy’s on The Beach in North Myrtle Beach
- Flamingo Grill in Myrtle Beach
Pier 14 in Myrtle Beach
- Island Bar and Grill in Surfside Beach
- Hook & Barrel in Myrtle Beach
- Grumpy Monk in North Myrtle Beach
- Croissants Bisto and Bakery in Myrtle Beach near 82nd Street
- Rockefella’s Raw Bar in North Myrtle - closed so employees can be tested for COVID-19.
- Mr. Fish in Myrtle Beach has switched to curbside and to-go orders.
The Olive Garden along Highway 501 and the North Myrtle Beach Chick-fil-A both confirmed cases with an employee. Both restaurants did a deep clean and are open.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control contact tracers work with every person who tests positive for COVID-19, officials said. Part of that process includes reaching out to people who had close contact with the sick person. In the case of a restaurant, that could be a coworker.
“Having a food worker test positive doesn’t mean everyone in the facility was at risk for coming into contact with the virus,” officials said in a statement.
The two most common factors in contracting the virus is being in close contact for an extended period of time, officials say. The contact is usually a distance of less than six feet, and the time is at least 15 minutes.
SC tracers provide recommendations on ways those in close contact can protect themselves, such as self-quarantining for up to two weeks.
The state will also reach out to restaurants where the sick person works and offer guidance to protect both staff and customers. That includes the most current recommendations, such as cleaning and disinfecting.
“However, the restaurant wouldn’t have to shut down or close to perform the cleaning. Some restaurants choose to voluntarily close temporarily,” officials said.
COVID-19 isn’t a food-borne illness, which means it can’t be contracted by eating something, officials said.
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce spokeswoman Heather Biance said if a restaurant closes for cleaning for coronavirus, the staff would be eligible for unemployment as it’s a closure or furlough related to COVID-19.
This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 1:08 PM.
