Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order went into effect Monday, shuttering restaurants and other small businesses throughout the state. Some restaurants in Orange County have banded together, however, and will remain open in defiance of the order.
Publicist Alexandra Taylor called on business owners in Orange County to voice their support for the #OpenSafe movement in an Instagram post, tagging every restaurant and small business that pledged allegiance; the list has been rapidly growing since.
“RESTAURANTS. I represent them, I invest in them, I celebrate them, I support them, I am passionate beyond words for them, for the PEOPLE behind them— and I will fight for them,” said Taylor.
“This is a declaration for not only restaurants but all SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS to commit to STAY OPEN SAFELY and RESPONSIBLY, while giving their establishments, their employees, and their families a fighting chance to survive,” she continued. “If you would like to join forces with us, If you would like to STAND UP- Please comment below, share the post to your story, or DM me to be added to this list. The list will be growing daily, and updated in IG story posts so you are able to visit these establishments to SUPPORT! ”
In the official #OpenSafe statement, the restaurants agreed to continue following the safety protocols as laid out by the CDC guidelines, while staying open in defiance of the order:
We, as responsible small business owners and operators, do hereby declare our intention to protest the current state stay home order and to maintain our safety standards of service as set forth by county and state health guidelines.
We cannot, in good conscience, allow our employees and their families to have their health and safety jeopardized as resources to them have been exhausted.
We will continue and strengthen our mitigation of the potential spread of SARS-COVID-19 with the highest standards of safety protocol including, but not limited to: outdoor dining, socially distanced seating, mass requirements when not seated, PPE, readily available sanitizer to back of house/front of house staff, immediate quarantine and isolation of potentially infected employees, barriers to prevent close quarters transmission between guests, limited capacity, etc.
Although eating and drinking establishments (both indoor and outdoor) have shown to increase the potential for viral transmission, current data also indicates that travel and essential shopping have as much as 10x more likely chance of transmission than these establishments based on CDC risk assessments.
We agree, as responsible business owners, to commit to staying open with the dedication to public health.
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Approximately 50 restaurants and groups were tagged in Taylor’s post, which came after Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said that his office will not be enforcing Newsom’s order.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will remain consistent in our approach,” said Barnes. “Orange County Sheriff’s deputies will not be dispatched to, or respond to, calls for service to enforce compliance with face coverings, social gatherings, or stay-at-home orders only. Deputies will respond to calls for potential criminal behavior and for the protection of life and property. Our actions remain consistent with the protections of constitutional rights.”
Related: Orange County Sheriff Refuses To Enforce Newsom’s Stay-At-Home Order