Outdoor dining returns at Marin County restaurants
Outdoor dining returns at Marin County restaurants
For the first time since the pandemic lockdown, Marin County is allowing outdoor dining in restaurants.
NOVATO, Calif. - It's a sight that perhaps many people used to take for granted in Marin County. But not anymore.
For the first time since the pandemic lockdown, Marin County is allowing outdoor dining in restaurants.
At Grazzi in Novato, the owner couldn't wait.
"It's really awesome after all this time without having people here outside. It is nice to have the people back," said owner Abe Hamami.
To comply with social distancing guidelines only eight tables are in play, half the capacity.
"We are wearing masks. We are wearing gloves. We have signs all around. What we're supposed to do. We test employees. We are very careful, 100%.
The owner says even with take-out service business is down 70%.
Customers are recommending the outdoor seating option.
"Come on out. Get out in the fresh air and have a nice lunch," said Tony Phillips of Novato.
The change comes as the Marin County Health and Human services department has slightly rolled back the public health order.
It now allows not only outdoor dining, but use of office space, child care services, summer camps the reopening of parks and beaches, and curbside library services.
That comes as good news to the Love2dance studio in Novato.
It is the first day of in-person dance lessons after months of teaching dance moves on Zoom.
"Today we actually get to have students back in the studio. So it's a very big deal," says studio owner Tara-Caprice Broadwater.
The studio can only teach 12 students at a time and has disinfecting and social distancing protocols in place with space markers.
But any more easing of restrictions will depend on the numbers.
"If we see a surge in cases and more importantly a jump in hospitalizations that may slow down and cause us to slow down a bit and pause issuing further reopening guidelines," said Marin County spokeswoman Laine Hendricks .
The county says indoor shopping and outdoor religious services could resume in mid-June, if there are no major surges in the transmission of the coronavirus.