Many people prefer outdoor dining because of the lower chance for COVID-19 transmission. | Pixabay
Many people prefer outdoor dining because of the lower chance for COVID-19 transmission. | Pixabay
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association (MRLA) is opposed to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) extending a COVID-19 policy, saying it will harm businesses while not making people any safer.
A MDHHS mandate states that mandatory contract tracing is to be implemented in bars and restaurants. This means that all patrons entering dine-in establishments will be asked to leave their names and contact information for later potential contract tracing.
Justin Winslow, president and CEO of MRLA, said that the order “is more likely to result in job loss, foreclosure and fewer restaurants than it will prevent transmission," according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.
According to Winslow, data collected by the MDHHS states that only three -- or 2% -- out of the 144 outbreaks reported in the state were linked to restaurants. The restaurant industry has been striving to provide a place where individuals can gather and eat together. It serves millions of customers every day and employs thousands of workers, despite the pandemic.
Winslow suggests that preventing transmission by providing regulations for a safer environment is better than implementing options that are less sanitized and less regulated.
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