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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2020)
8A | JULY 23, 2020 Safety from A1 as a result of the state’s increase in corona- virus cases and Lane County, too, has felt the COVID-19 surge as it reported its highest count in a day of 40 cases on July 18. Daily case counts have dropped to fewer than 10 since then. As of July 21, the coun- ty has had a total of 406 cases, 54 of which are currently infectious with one person hospitalized. To date, 33,538 tests have been conducted and three deaths have been reported as a result of the coronavirus. More locally, Lane County Public Health data lists ZIP code 97424 as having 12 cases. Based on contact trac- ing and investigations, county health officials say new cases have pre- dominantly been trav- el-related as Lane Coun- ty residents travel to other areas and return to infect others in small gatherings. Governor Kate Brown has said that restaurants and bars do not appear to be sources of “signif- icant” spread, so she will not shut them down for now. But she has added that “nothing is off the table.” In an effort to miti- gate the strain of ongo- ing health requirements | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL on businesses, free face masks have recently been made available to the area. As Lane County re- ceived 48,000 KN95 masks from the State Office of Emergency Management to support small businesses, last week the City of Cottage Grove received 1,500 of that bulk. The masks are dispos- able and available for small businesses of 50 or fewer employees. “They’re not medical grade,” said City Man- ager Richard Meyers. “They’re just regular face covering masks.” The masks were first made available at the Cottage Grove City Hall this Monday. By the end of the day, 100 masks had been picked up by nine businesses and should the city eventual- ly run out, more can be requested. The free masks can be picked up at City Hall during office hours, which are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Businesses are encour- aged to have a represen- tative come to City Hall to pick up masks, which are to be used specifical- ly for employees. Though this may pro- vide some relief for staff, local businesses have also seen an ebb and flow of a customer base which is frequently sub- One solution for oxygen at home, away, and for travel Introducing the INOGEN ONE – It’s oxygen therapy on your terms No more tanks to refi ll. No more deliveries. No more hassles with travel. The INOGEN ONE portable oxygen concentrator is designed to provide unparalleled freedom for oxygen therapy users. It’s small, lightweight, clinically proven for stationary and portable use, during the day and at night, and can go virtually anywhere — even on most airlines. Inogen accepts Medicare and many private insurances! Reclaim Your Freedom And Independence NOW! we start with not blam- ing anyone. I think that’s a great place to start.” Staff at the newly opened Covered Bridge Brewing Group, too, are trying to strike a bal- ance. “We want to make people feel as welcome as possible during these crazy times — and safe,” said part-owner Chrissy Chapman. “We’re trying the best we can to com- ply in as pleasant a way as we can.” Customer pushback against the requirements has been relatively rare according to several es- tablishments. “As the days go by and it becomes more routine, it’s getting less and less,” Chapman attested. Businesses noted that one challenging point to get across is that the requirements are not a political statement. “Our jobs are on the line if we don’t follow these,” said Chapman. “It is up to us to enforce those rules.” Enforcing those rules comes at some cost to the businesses, too, as public health guidelines require a high degree of attention. “It’s something we’re definitely taking very seriously,” said Eckstine. “We’re following the mandates as closely as possible.” In addition to pro- viding staff with pro- Imagine The Difference You Can Make tective equipment, food and beverage businesses must keep a constant eye on sanitation levels. This means that de- spite an economic slump, in some cases more staff are required to get the job done. The Axe and Fiddle, for example, brings in a “quasi-host” to control evening traffic for seat- ing, said Eckstine. Restaurants and bars are also volunteering to provide masks to cus- tomers who forget their own, adding a bit more to costs. And because man- dates could change at a moment’s notice, busi- nesses must constantly keep staff up to date on the latest guidelines. Smith said Coast Fork Brewing has regular staff meetings, which are used as a training ground to stay updated and communicate safety precautions. “We talk about things right down to the amount of bleach we put in every bottle,” she said. “So everybody feels ready and equipped.” Coast Fork Brewing has implemented some unique practices as well, such as marking tables “sanitized” or “not san- itized” for customer protection. It has also instituted a “speak up” policy to encourage staff to notify others if they think something can be improved. The policy extends to customers, too. “I’ll never be upset if someone calls some- thing out because I want to be 110 percent and I believe that’s true of ev- ery business in this com- munity,” said Smith. 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Food and beverage es- tablishments in particu- lar have noted that cus- tomers are often walking in to businesses without a clear understanding of the current rules. “What we try to do more than anything is communicate, commu- nicate, communicate,” said Jakelen Eckstine, head server at Axe and Fiddle. In restaurants and bars, the rule of thumb is that patrons should keep a mask on unless they are sitting at their designated table eating or drinking. “When you get up from your table or you’re walking anywhere — like walking to the bath- room — get that mask up,” advised Smith. One added element of stress for small busi- nesses, though, is that state mandates have ef- fectively made staff the enforcement arm of the public health require- ments. This puts busi- nesses, especially in the hospitality industry, in the awkward position of policing their establish- ments. Smith has tried to take a friendly approach to enforcement. “[The rules] are there for a reason. 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