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As of Wednesday, June 10, Long Island will enter Phase 2 of its recovery from novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which will allow restaurants to begin serving customers again under strict guidelines.
In Phase 2, restaurants can serve patrons outdoors, though tables will be socially distanced at least six feet apart. All servers, cooks, and other workers must wear masks, and customers will be required to wear face coverings when they aren’t seated.
Employees will wear gloves, and restaurants will feature disposable paper menus when possible. If non-disposable menus are used, they must be cleaned and disinfected between each party’s use.
Silverware must be pre-packaged or pre-rolled by employees wearing masks and gloves, and all condiments will be provided directly to customers in single-use disposable containers or reusable containers that are regularly disinfected.
Before reopening, officials noted that the state has to be provided with a safety plan by restauranteurs.
Once open, patrons sitting at the same table must be members of the same party, and there will be a maximum of 10 people per table at any one time. Communal tables will only be permitted as long as patrons can be seated six feet apart from one another, and restaurants will use contactless payment methods. "Local businesses have carried a heavy burden in recent months, with many struggling through this unprecedented challenge," officials said. "They deserve our patronage now, so please make a point of supporting businesses, even as we continue to act responsibly to prevent the spread of the virus."
Other industries permitted to open up in Phase 2 include professional services, finance, administrative support, and real estate, also under the guidelines set forth by the state.
“Phase 2 will jump-start even more of our economy,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said this week. “We need to get our businesses moving again.”
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