Thursday morning, about forty people united their voices in an open letter addressed to Prime Minister François Legault. Among these, we find the managers of various restaurant associations, restaurant managers and even suppliers. The message is clear: “Mr. Legault, please reopen our dining rooms! "
From the outset, they recall that no major COVID-19 outbreak has been linked to restaurants to date and that the entire restaurant industry wants to be part of the solution.
They also point out that they have noticed the need for minimal social contact on the part of the population in order to avoid any future mental health problems. According to them, restaurants can help at this level in safe environments.
Let’s not forget all the sacrifices and efforts made by restaurateurs since March to adapt their dining rooms to sanitary standards. Financial efforts, in particular, for them and also for the employees who saw their wages decrease.
Since the beginning of October, several regions of Quebec have been "red" and have seen dining rooms close again. At the time of the announcements, the date of October 28 had been set as the temporary deadline for this closure, at the end of the 28-day Challenge launched by the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé. As this fateful date quickly approaches, restaurateurs admit they are still uncertain about the reopening.
They conclude this letter this way:
“As a father, leader, businessman and Prime Minister, we believe you share these concerns. This is why we are asking you to quickly reassess the current situation of the restaurant industry and allow the reopening of dining rooms throughout Quebec. We are ready to work with you, as always, to ensure a safe reopening and adherence to sanitary guidelines. "
Legault Response
Mr. Legault's response to this open letter was quick: because the current figures are not encouraging, he strongly doubts the restaurants will reopen in the short term. He believes reducing contact is still paramount to stopping the current second wave.
"If we decided tomorrow morning to reopen the restaurants, we would increase the risk that the spread will increase, and today, the opposite must be done," said Mr. Legault Thursday afternoon.
Regarding the end of the 28-Day Challenge, Legault and his team will announce the next steps in the coming days, hoping to give themselves extra time to watch the evolution of the pandemic.
With these comments from the government and decision-makers, do you believe in an imminent reopening of the dining rooms?
