National Restaurant Association Offers Reopening Guidelines

National Restaurant Association released new guidance for operation reopening which provides a basic summary of recommended practices that can be used to help mitigate exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Its guidance also calls for restaurants to update existing policies regarding protective equipment, based on the information available from local, state and federal agencies.

The document is meant to be used in conjunction with instruction operators receive from authorities during their reopening phase-in. The guidance focuses on:
•    food safety
•    cleaning and sanitizing
•    employee health monitoring and personal hygiene
•    social distancing. 

The guidance builds on already established best practices and available requirements that address specific health and safety concerns related to the spread of COVID-19. Included in the document are highlights of the recently released FDA Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-Up/Delivery Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To prepare to comply with opening procedures, the guidance document advises operators to update their existing policies and operating procedures in accordance with the latest FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance and in accordance with local and state officials regarding:

•    Social distancing and protective equipment
•    Employee health
•    Cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting

The National Restaurant Association partnered with representatives of the FDA, academia, the Conference for Food Protection, Ecolab, public health officials and industry representatives to develop the guidance.

Download the full guidance here.