Baristas, and waiters cover faces amid MERS fears
Korea Times photo by Lee Ji-hye
By Lee Ji-hye
Coffee shops and restaurants have been on high alert amid fears of the spread of the deadly virus that causesover the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are taking steps to reassure customers.
Workers at popular cafes like such as Starbucks and fast- food chains such as McDonald’s in Seoul have been ordered to cover their faceswear face masks to assure customers. security over MERS horrors.
“We have been told to cover our faces and refrain from talking as much as we can besides the basic orders because everyone is scared of the spread of MERS,” a McDonald’s cashier surnamed Park said.
“Service comes first, and we want to promise the customers that we are not going to spread germs to the people thatthose who come to eat here,.” Park said.
When asked if he was aware of the fact that the contractions have mostlythat most infections had taken place in hospitals, and are notthat airborne infections are were highly unlikely, the cashier said,: “The assurance is part of our service, and it’s just our loss if the customers feel uneasy seeing us without masks.”
At Starbucks, workers at all the 770 branches nationwide have been ordered to use hand sanitizers and face masks when working.
“”We have not only the have people working with the customers have onwearing masks, but everyone in the cafe has been ordered to follow the regulations,” a part-time worker at Starbucks was quoted as sayingsaid, adding that the employees have also been given instructions tohad been told to “make an effort towards improving the quality of the air” within in the cafe.
Bakery and cafe Coffee Bay is also turning to the usage ofusing face masks for a “cleaner environment” within their shops, fofor customers as well as employees. r not only the employees, but all visitors as well.
“We are a shop that stands with the customers, so we are handing masks out to all customers until the epidemic dies out,” a company official of Coffee Bay was quoted as sayingsaid.
“Some branches that have more visitors per day ran out of the masks, so we have supplied the shop with an additional amount so we can continue to help prevent the spread of the virus and work towards all customer’s’ personal sanitation and help increase our immunity level.”
Other food franchisesoutlets, such as Paris Baguette, Dunkin’ Doughnuts, Baskin-Robbins, VIPS, Tous Les Jours, and A Twosome Place, have all iincreased the number of hand sanitizers placed insidein their stores the shops, and ordered all workers to check their temperatures for fevers.