It's time for DC to shut down indoor dining again

[Anonymous]

Cases in DC are starting to skyrocket again, but Bowser and Nesbitt seem to be going out of their way not to blame indoor dining. They're literally blaming everything else but indoor dining (this from a woman who traveled to a state on DC's quarantine list but then ignored her own guidance). DC's contract tracers also aren't asking people to specify whether they dined indoors or outdoors, an astounding misstep.

From the City Paper: "Research published this week in the journal Nature combined public health and cell phone data to determine which types of businesses were associated with the highest levels of virus transmission during the peak of the infection in the spring. Of the 10 metropolitan areas studied, D.C. had the highest proportion of new cases attributable to restaurant-related activities despite any precautionary measures taken during this time period."

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/501977/will-d-c-dial-back-indoor-dining-as-covid-19-cases-climb/

It's truly sad that there's no safety net for restaurant workers, but it's also completely messed up that our kids are still learning from home while restaurants are unsafely crowded every weekend, causing this pandemic to only get stronger.

While we're at it, gyms and churches need to shut down again, too.

DC records most new coronavirus cases in nearly six months:

https://dcist.com/story/20/11/11/dc-covid19-coronavirus-cases-maryland-virginia-spike-trend/

[Anonymous]

I think going to 25% and see how it goes is better than a shut down.

I don’t see restaurants as an issue if people are sitting. It’s bars where people stand around that are a problem.

[Anonymous]

DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

I am very careful in my personal life but I agree with this. At some point, people are going to hurt more from poverty than they will from Covid. I don't plan on going to inside restaurants this winter but if others want to go, let them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

I am very careful in my personal life but I agree with this. At some point, people are going to hurt more from poverty than they will from Covid. I don't plan on going to inside restaurants this winter but if others want to go, let them.

This is so backwards. We should compensate workers and and small businesses AND shut down indoor dining. It will be much, much cheaper in the long run. The idea that we have to keep the businesses open for economic reasons will seem extremely stupid when the result is the virus getting out of control and killing a bunch of people this winter. And you understand that the people working in indoor dining will be among those who die, right?

If we just paid people up front, but closed this risky activity, we are more likely to make it to the other side with less death AND less economic loss.

[Anonymous]

I’d like to see gyms and houses of worship closed as well. Back to where we were in March/April, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

These "stringent" policies -- and I would not call any policy that allows for any indoor dining "stringent"; I'd call it "lenient" and probably "irresponsible" -- clearly are not working: Seven-day averages in DC are now back to what they were in May and probably are soon to pass what they were at the peak of the pandemic in April. What policies do you propose to reverse this?

[Anonymous]

Yes.

As well as across the region. Hogan is not doing enough either.

[Anonymous]

I waited table since they opened up outside and later inside. None of us workers have caught anything. So, is it the eaters who catch it when they have their masks off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

I am very careful in my personal life but I agree with this. At some point, people are going to hurt more from poverty than they will from Covid. I don't plan on going to inside restaurants this winter but if others want to go, let them.

This is so backwards. We should compensate workers and and small businesses AND shut down indoor dining. It will be much, much cheaper in the long run. The idea that we have to keep the businesses open for economic reasons will seem extremely stupid when the result is the virus getting out of control and killing a bunch of people this winter. And you understand that the people working in indoor dining will be among those who die, right?

If we just paid people up front, but closed this risky activity, we are more likely to make it to the other side with less death AND less economic loss.

That certainly hasn't been the case so far. Like I said, in an ideal world I think we should do exactly what you're saying. With the uncertainty of the next relief bill, I don't see how we can afford to shut down again. And of course, I don't want any workers to die. That's bizarre that you'd even say that. I also don't want to see people homeless sleeping in 20-degree weather this winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has some of the most stringent COVID policies in the country and has done very little to support businesses hurt by this. Keep restaurant and stores open unless you're going to compensate them for loss of revenue. A vaccine is almost here.

I am very careful in my personal life but I agree with this. At some point, people are going to hurt more from poverty than they will from Covid. I don't plan on going to inside restaurants this winter but if others want to go, let them.

This is so backwards. We should compensate workers and and small businesses AND shut down indoor dining. It will be much, much cheaper in the long run. The idea that we have to keep the businesses open for economic reasons will seem extremely stupid when the result is the virus getting out of control and killing a bunch of people this winter. And you understand that the people working in indoor dining will be among those who die, right?

If we just paid people up front, but closed this risky activity, we are more likely to make it to the other side with less death AND less economic loss.

I agree. People aren't opening to spread covid. They are open because they need the revenue. If the demand for $ is alleviated, then a shutdown is much more palatable.

[Anonymous]

Imagine where we'd be if every individual and small business had received a payment equivalent to stated income on 2019 tax filings, just to sit out 2020. Things could remain shuttered, but no one would be forced out of business. Essential services could be limited to the truly essential. Don't @ me with how expensive this would have been. These United States of America have a LOT of money and could afford this easily. Billionaires might have had to forego a few extra million in profits this year, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I waited table since they opened up outside and later inside. None of us workers have caught anything. So, is it the eaters who catch it when they have their masks off?

I hope that is true. Let the customers take their chances. And give people a fighting chance to make ends meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine where we'd be if every individual and small business had received a payment equivalent to stated income on 2019 tax filings, just to sit out 2020. Things could remain shuttered, but no one would be forced out of business. Essential services could be limited to the truly essential. Don't @ me with how expensive this would have been. These United States of America have a LOT of money and could afford this easily. Billionaires might have had to forego a few extra million in profits this year, however.

That’s not how it works unless you’re talking hiking up taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine where we'd be if every individual and small business had received a payment equivalent to stated income on 2019 tax filings, just to sit out 2020. Things could remain shuttered, but no one would be forced out of business. Essential services could be limited to the truly essential. Don't @ me with how expensive this would have been. These United States of America have a LOT of money and could afford this easily. Billionaires might have had to forego a few extra million in profits this year, however.

That’s not how it works unless you’re talking hiking up taxes.

The money is there. We've just made a choice as a society and government not to use it in this way. No one worried about future tax hikes when we spent trillions bombing places in the Middle East and Afghanistan.