LOS ANGELES (KNX 1070) -- Following the state’s June 15 reopening, many restaurants in California were eager to open their doors. But owners said they struggled to find enough staff members to stay open.
Now, Los Angeles restaurants are dealing with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, as well.
Adam Englander is a registered lobbyist and Executive Director of the Independent Hospitality Coalition in Los Angeles. Englander said the increasing number of cases in LA County is “disappointing” because restaurants were only recently able to open.
Now with the county’s surging numbers of COVID cases, “places are shutting down voluntarily -- not because they are required to -- and protecting their patrons and their employees,” said Englander.
A number of local restaurants and bars have started asking customers to show proof of vaccination before they enter.
Other restaurants have been forced to close temporarily.
In an Instagram post, the Village Idiot on Melrose said.
“We apologize for the inconvenience, but unfortunately we’ve had a breakthrough case of Covid-19 with one of our fully vaccinated staff members. We will be closed for the next few days until all of our employees are tested.”
“Once we feel secure that it’s safe for us to resume serving you our doors will reopen.”
The Village Idiot reopened on Thursday, but it is not the only LA-area restaurant that had to close down over COVID concerns. Bottega Louie in West Hollywood shared in an Instagram post they would close “out of an abundance of caution.”
Los Angeles County health officials reported 2,551 new COVID infections on Wednesday. It is the largest daily reported case number since mid-February, prompting LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer to call the increase a “surge.”
She pointed to the highly contagious Delta variant and the increase of unmasked people, who may or may not be vaccinated, spending time together indoors.