Closing local restaurants to stop the spread of COVID-19 does more harm than good

By Ella Mahan

Opinion Editor

Due to the pandemic, restrictions are being placed on restaurants and local public gatherings, as one factor that could be increasing the number of those infected with COVID-19 is restaurants, according to CNN News.

Manhattan Beach local businesses and even large chains have been impacted in a drastic way due to the restrictions in place. Jamba Juice, Coffee Bean, Wahoos and more local favorites have permanently closed or moved locations since the start of the pandemic. Completely shutting down restaurants does more harm than good for L.A. County and the city of Manhattan Beach.

According to Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Moe, the city had seen cases double from 421 to 821 as of  Nov. 1. As of  Dec. 31, the number of cases reached 21 per day and rose to 26 per day as of Jan. 1. It is especially important to take precautions now that a new strain of the virus has arrived in California, which is potentially easier to spread, according to the Manhattan Beach City Council.

Although political leaders and scientists have previously linked the virus to restaurants and nursing homes, small in-home gatherings now appear to be causing the surge, according to the New York Times. Restrictions have already been put in place so that the virus does not spread at restaurants. When outdoor dining was an option for customers, diners were required to always wear a mask when not seated at their table, and tables were all socially distanced.

Manhattan Beach City Council  firmly believed that outdoor dining was affecting virus rates and took action by closing outdoor dining altogether. Take-out food has become the only option, as it abides by the new closures of restaurants in Manhattan Beach. We must take every precaution we can to lower the infection rates, according to L.A. County officials. However, some local businesses and restaurants might go bankrupt if they cannot serve their customers outside safely.

Restaurants should not be shut down to stop the spread of the virus because there are already strict regulations put into place when customers dine outside. Restaurants cannot be held fully responsible for the surge of COVID-19, according to the New York Times. Because restaurants are not the epicenter for the spread of COVID-19, according to a Health and Human Services study, they must remain open to ensure they thrive under these strict regulations. Restaurants may go out of business if take-out remains the only option for customers.

As opposed to closing down local restaurants, city officials should enforce the use of masks at all times more strictly Downtown and attempt to regulate public gatherings more. If Manhattan Beach officials shift their focus from the elimination of outdoor dining to ensuring people wear masks Downtown, COVID-19 rates are bound to drop.

Keeping outdoor dining open is safe and  necessary to allow restaurants to prosper, as long as the safety precautions already being advised remain intact.