KING COUNTY, Wash. — In order to ensure social distancing rules are being followed, King County health inspectors are making surprise visits to restaurants during the pandemic.
The hustle and bustle world of food is in for an even bigger kick.
Starting this month, King County health workers will be making random checks at restaurants.
Health inspectors told KIRO 7 the random visits are a new way to make sure restaurants are following everything from social distancing to making sure workers and customers are wearing masks.
At Aqua Verde in the U-District, general manager Juan Dominguez said he wasn’t surprised the inspections were happening.
“We’re doing what is required. We’re doing what it is right,” he said.
Walking KIRO 7 through his waterfront balcony, Dominguez said the extra regulations, such as making sure tables are 6 feet apart, are just a reality of the unusual coronavirus times.
“We’re open, we’re serving, we definitely want to keep doing it. ... Aqua Verde is an all-year restaurant,” he stated.
King County health workers insisted their goal isn’t to punish restaurants.
Instead, they said they simply want to spot possible problems before things get out of hand.
“We have to deal with it. And if we don’t deal with it, it’ll deal with us, and it’s not going to be in a good way,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County Health.
Duke’s restaurant found out the hard way this week.
After decades of service, its Alki location was forced to close because health workers said there was a risk of COVID-19 transmission and a lack of compliance.
At Aqua Verde, Dominguez said guaranteed safety depends on both his workers and his customers.
“We both need to work together. It goes side to side,” he told KIRO 7.
Random checks have already happened at more than a dozen restaurants in King County, with likely many more to go.
If a restaurant isn’t following the rules, health workers insisted they will first issue a warning.
They said fines and shutdowns won’t happen until several notices have been issued.
Cox Media Group
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