It’s nice that bev/al producers are donating money to help hospitality workers laid off thanks to the coronavirus. The aid is desperately needed and really appreciated.
But what would really make a difference is if people felt they could safely visit a local bar or restaurant.
There’s a way to make that happen.
In a word, masks. We all want — or should want — our local bars, pubs, restaurants, etc. to reopen and help to re-establish our sense of community. We don’t want to feel at risk when we visit an on-premise establishment. The easiest and most effective way to do that is to wear a face mask.
There’s growing evidence that face masks are extraordinarily important tools to prevent, or at least significantly reduce, the spread of the coronavirus. The virus is dramatically hurting our economy, and will even more so in the fall when many parents are counting on being able to send their children back to school as they return to work.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that facial coverings help prevent transmission, even if an infected wearer is in close contact with others. Aerosol-sized droplets — perfect for spreading Covid — traveled about 2.5 inches on average when a well-fitted homemade stiched mask was used. Even a simple bandana cut the spread to 3.5 feet. No mask at all? those aerosol droplets can travel up to 12 feet.
Even though all this is known by at least some in the government, it’s obvious the feds won’t spread to message. So, it’s up to the private sector to do so. It simply has to be made socially unacceptable anywhere in the U.S. to be in public without a mask. . . . Our opinion.
This is an area where the bev/al industry can, and should, take the lead. Not only would it be the right thing to do, but it also would help the industry’s bottom line.