It’s a ritual of dining out to keep an eye on big-screen TVs to keep up with the Lakers’ score or monitor NFL or football, even if the occasion is to celebrate Mom’s birthday or close a deal.
But with the new Los Angeles County rules for outdoor dining, which went into effect on Friday, TVs should remain off.
It is one of several new regulations imposed, as the county has allowed restaurants to eat al fresco again after a devastating increase in COVID-19 cases in winter.
According to the new county rules, places for outdoor dining and wine service should be limited to 50% of capacity, with tables positioned at least 2.5 meters away.
External seating will also be limited to no more than six people per table – and everyone seated together must be from the same house, as determined by the health order.
But perhaps the most notable of the rules is the ban on watching TV while dining outdoors.
Officials said this is a precaution designed to make dining in outdoor restaurants as safe as possible – especially with the upcoming Super Bowl.
“We really need to be cautious as we go, given that we have a big sporting event” coming up, and it is not uncommon for people to “scream, scream, scream during the excitement of a game,” said LA County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis.
“There is no risk in a restaurant or any other environment where people from different families are together,” he added during a meeting on Friday.
Officials believe the COVID-19 spread in the meetings after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series and the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship this fall.
“It will be tragic if the Super Bowl becomes a super spreader of coronavirus,” said LA County public health director Barbara Ferrer this week.
Sports fans should “play it safe,” said Ferrer. “Don’t organize a party at home. Don’t go to a Super Bowl party. “
If conditions improve, Davis said the county will consider changes to its rules as needed.
“At the moment, we have to facilitate these reopenings,” he said. “We want these cases to continue to decrease, our hospitalizations continue to decrease. Our healthcare professionals have done a great job … they are tired. “
Employees continue to encourage customers wear masks when not eating or drinking and practicing social detachment. Both customers and employees must maintain strong personal hand hygiene.
“The gradual reopening of the economy is very important. But we need to count on everyone to make community-focused decisions about how we conduct ourselves outside the home, ”said LA County Health Services Director, Dr. Christina Ghaly, earlier this week. “Please wear a mask. Limit and be careful when interacting with people outside your home. “
On Friday night, people went back to restaurants in Los Angeles, and the rule of not watching TV didn’t seem to attract much attention.
Wes Liu wanted to spend his money supporting Chinatown, if and when restaurants could function “normally” again.
He took a step toward his goal the Friday after work, when he went to Pearl River Deli, on North Broadway, to eat his tender Hainan chicken and the popular char Siu dish. He intended to take him to a community park to eat while tuning in to a Zoom meeting on his phone. The man from Echo Park felt the need to dine al fresco.
“It’s not the same thing to sit on the front porch or in a small courtyard at the back,” said Liu, who runs a small gift shop. “This neighborhood was the most affected not only by the terrible economy, but also by the anti-Asian reaction associated with the virus. So unfair, you know. We need to come together to keep restaurants alive and respect cultures ”.