Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Restaurants

We know that there is community spread of COVID-19 in Buncombe County. That means that COVID-19 is spreading rapidly from person-to-person throughout our community. Our local restaurants have a vital role to play in reducing the impact and spread of COVID-19 by operating under the most current sanitization and food preparation guidelines available. Operating within these guidelines reduces the chance of COVID-19 transmission and protects staff and customers. Below is a basic outline of current CDC recommendations.

Sanitize High Traffic Areas

The CDC recommends disinfecting high traffic surfaces with one of the following:

• Diluted bleach solutions
  • Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner
• Alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol
• Common EPA-registered household disinfectants

For more information about cleaning products or how to properly dilute effective cleaners visit the CDC’s website.

Food Preparation Guidelines

All restaurants in Buncombe County are mandated to follow proper food preparation standards. These guidelines include:

• Continually disinfect frequently-touched surfaces using the guidelines listed above.
• Delegate all staff to have separate responsibilities in order to reduce the risk of transmission and ensure your facility is maintaining proper social distancing practices.
• Employees should package all meal items, (including drink) for the customer to reduce the number of people touching items in the facility.
• All staff should be wearing disposable gloves that are changed when employee changes task, gloves are ripped, or gloves become visibly soiled. If you need to change gloves, dispose of the old gloves, and wash hands thoroughly before putting on a new pair of gloves.

Employees who come in direct contact with a customer or a surface that is accessible to a customer should properly wash their hands before handling food, food contact surfaces, or single-service products. It is recommended that all employees engage in frequent hand washing.

For more information about food prep guidelines, click here.

Thank you for doing your part to protect the health of the Buncombe County community during this time. Managing the spread of COVID-19 requires that we all work together to create a safe and clean environment for residents. This includes following the above guidance, practicing social distancing, self-isolating, and eliminating all nonessential travel outside of the home. For the most reliable and timely information about COVID-19 in Buncombe County, visit buncombecounty.org.

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