MADISON, Wis. – On Friday, DHS announced all food services workers would be immediately cleared to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and those who advocate for the industry say it couldn’t have happened at a better time.
“The fact that restaurant workers are now eligible to receive vaccines is a huge shot in the arm,” said Kristine Hillmer, President of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. “The fact they’re actually eligible is really giving people a lot of boost in thinking this is the first step recovery.”
Hillmer says WRA and other groups advocated for food services workers to qualify for vaccination as soon as possible.
“Restaurant workers have always been considered essential,” she said. “According to the federal government, they have classifications of everyone who’s essential. Restaurant workers are part of the food chain.”
1 in 10 Wisconsin restaurants have closed in the last year, Hillmer said, with more struggling financially. She’s hopeful that vaccination paired with more federal help means better days are ahead.
“We also interact with people every single day and we’re open every single day,” said Tutto Pasta Owner Joe Perkins. “Open at only 25, now 50 percent, but we should be on the list too. Every restaurant should be on that list.”
Perkins said much of his staff, including himself, have already scheduled an appointment.
“As soon as they said it the other day, all of my staff is on the phone going, ‘When can I set it up? When can I set it up?’” he said.
While 28.6 billion will go to restaurants around the country, it’s unknown how much of that will go to Wisconsin. Perkins says while that can be a temporary fix, vaccines offer a longterm solution.
“I’m hopeful to get the relief, but we still haven’t gotten our second round of PPP. There’s a lot of people who haven’t got that,” he said. “It won’t change until everyone is vaccinated.”
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
