Dear Customer,
Keeping you and our staff safe is our top priority, so we wanted to share with you the plan we have in place to respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as well as the deliberate and additional precautions we are taking.
Florida is very much open for business and so are we. The Flagler Tavern will remain open until we determine, if necessary, that circumstances are unsafe for our guests and staff members or if we are ordered to close as a result of a government action. Our plan is to continue serving you as long as possible.
To do so, we have initiated additional precautionary measures to protect our staff and our guests from the spread of the virus. We are closely following all CDC, World Health Organization, National Restaurant Association, state and local health authority recommendations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of infection remains low for the general public in Florida and across the United States. The elderly and anyone with underlining health issues are more likely to have a harder time with this virus. Preventing the spread of germs for all respiratory diseases including Coronavirus is among the most powerful tools for staying healthy, according to the CDC.
The Flagler Tavern adheres to ServSafe guidelines administered by the National Restaurant Association. All of our managers are ServSafe certified. All employees are required by state law to pass ServSafe food handlers’ certification.
Flagler Tavern follows and exceeds strict local public health guidelines. To accomplish these very important aspects of our business, Flagler Tavern has safety protocols and best practices in place, including guidance from ServSafe including, but not limited to:
• Flagler Tavern requires our employees to properly wash hands and adhere to professional personal hygiene standards.
• Flagler Tavern requires all food to be cooked and held at proper temperatures.
• Flagler Tavern continues to share public health information from state and federal officials with all employees that includes facts about how to stay safe and prevent illness from spreading. Our greatest focus has been on regularly washing hands, avoiding handshakes and staying home if employees feel sick or may have been exposed. We have strongly recommended that all employees cancel or postpone any non-essential travel.
• Flagler Tavern strictly adheres to a “no bare hand” contact rule when preparing and cooking your food. The use of gloves is a high priority.
• Today and every day sanitation is a high priority. Flagler Tavern requires our staff to sanitize! Every glass, dish, silverware, cooking equipment etc are sanitized each and every time they pass through our dish machine. Our staff uses food grade sanitizers to clean all cooking surfaces, cutting boards, bar tops, and tables. Our staff uses “sanitation buckets’ with wiping clothes throughout the kitchen and server areas.
• Flagler Tavern employs a professional cleaning service that cleans our entire building daily in addition to using surface sanitizers to clean our bathrooms.
Further, we received communication today from Visit Florida – the official tourism marketing agency for the State of Florida which reiterated these important facts:
• Florida’s tourism industry is open for business and we are ready to welcome visitors who are safe to travel.
• Anyone who isn’t currently under travel restrictions suggested by the CDC, or currently self-isolating, is welcome to come to Florida for Spring Break, and we are reminding them that Florida offers an abundance of safe activities. Our state has some of the best emergency response professionals in the world. Everyone should continue to stay up-to-date on the latest information from Governor DeSantis, state officials and the CDC.
• We are not recommending that people cancel trips to Florida who aren’t currently under travel restrictions from CDC or self-isolating. We want the traveling public to remain vigilant, but to continue to go about their everyday lives while taking protective actions. If this were to ever change, VISIT FLORIDA, in conjunction with state emergency response professionals will inform the public immediately.
Health and safety are all of our responsibilities. We encourage you to practice safety measures at home and when you’re out. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow if you have to sneeze or cough, and please stay home if you are sick.
We feel confident that our state and local communities will be back to normal business very soon, as will the nation. We intend to be open, clean and safe for you every step of the way.
We at Flagler Tavern wish you and your family the best as we get through this together!
Sincerely,
Flagler Tavern