DENVER (KDVR) — Restaurants are crying foul on the state’s decision to move Front Range counties to Level Red restrictions, saying the new restrictions put an undo burden on eateries when daily life spreads far more cases. Without lifted restrictions and a serious federal cash infusion, industry leaders say restaurants will drop like winter flies.
“Yes, we believe the restaurant industry is bearing the brunt of this pandemic when it seems increasingly clear that they’re not the main culprit of spread,” said Colorado Restaurant Association CEO Sonia Riggs.
“There’s a growing body of data from around the country that shows this most recent spike is coming primarily from private gatherings in homes – people are taking their socializing inside as the weather gets colder, and then you’ve got four or five people from a dinner party getting COVID.”
Even as a portion of outbreaks, which track multiple cases from a single location, restaurants do not produce as many cases as other categories.
Outbreak data does not tell the whole story of infections. Only one-fifth of the state’s infections can be traced to outbreaks as opposed to isolated cases. They do, however, give information about infection patterns, since outbreaks can be traced to specific locations and types of locations.
K-12 schools/childcare centers/colleges are by far the state’s largest source of outbreaks. They were the largest outbreak sources in half of the counties that will move to level red restrictions since cases surged in October.
By contrast, sit-down restaurants were the largest outbreak source only in Summit County. K-12 schools, colleges, childcare centers, retail, offices and several other source types have produced more outbreaks in most of these counties since October.
Sit-down restaurants are the state’s fifth-largest outbreak source of 37 different categories. Since the pandemic began, health officials have traced 97 outbreaks to sit-down restaurants through Nov. 11, or 6% of the pandemic total.
This number has stayed consistent, which Riggs takes as proof that restaurant restrictions do little except hurt business owners.
“It also seems clear that further restricting restaurants isn’t working,” she said. “The numbers continue to rise even as indoor capacity limits shrink.”
The Level Red restrictions will almost certainly shut down many restaurants for good, according to a Colorado Restaurant Association survey. Statewide, 24% of restaurateurs said halting indoor dining would cause them to close permanently in the first month alone. In three months, more than half will close.
“We think we’ll likely see a number of restaurants shut their doors immediately,” Riggs said.
Though the state legislature will convene in a special session to address economic issues, Riggs said the average costs of bearing through COVID-19 restrictions are too much.
Realistically, Riggs said, “most restaurants need the kind of cash relief only the federal government can provide to bridge the gap – the state aid is simply not going to be enough.”
