Coronavirus Fears Impacting Local Restaurants
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento area restaurants are battling the fears of the coronavirus as more people are cautious of public places. Now your favorite place to eat may be feeling the impact.
Restaurant owners are trying to stay upbeat as more people are just staying home because of the headlines they see. Now there's a push to show how businesses are protecting you.
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Restaurant staffers are performing extra, detailed cleaning to any surface a customer touches, from the silverware to the credit card machine. It comes as the CDC just announced the virus could grow to pandemic levels.
That warning sparked Sacramento County Public Health officials to remind residents and businesses who are in contact with the public to practice prevention techniques like washing hands, sneezing with a tissue, and using a disinfectant.
Restaurant owner Jujaar Singh says he has not noticed a drop in customers yet, but he's bracing for it. Other restaurants, including buffets, say they're calming fears by overly cleaning food areas and regularly replacing shared utensils used by the public.
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A few Sacramento area restaurants did say they area financially hurting due to coronavirus fears.
Still some customers are fighting the fears to stay home. Some local school teachers aren't letting the coronavirus stop them from enjoying a night on the town.
"I teach children all day and if I can survive their germs, I can survive the germs of a restaurant," says teacher Erin Sims.
They haven't changed their normal routines, but have increased their daily activities in public places.
"We need to be able to go on with our lives," Sims said.