VIDEO: Restaurant Chain Takes Customers’ Temperatures Prior to Dining

A California restaurant chain implemented a new policy in January to protect its staff and customers from the coronavirus.

“Since late January, Sichuan Impression has used infrared thermometers — which can take a person’s temperature without touching them — to screen patrons at its three locations in Alhambra, Tustin and West Los Angeles,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

If a customer is running a fever or has other abnormal symptoms, the staff will help them get in contact with medical services for further evaluation, the report said.

In addition, restaurant employees wipe down tables, windows, door handles, and other surfaces with alcohol spray several times a day as an extra precaution, according to KRON 4.

“It’s nice, you know, they make us use hand sanitizer when we come in and they check our temperature, so it’s just a little extra precaution which is nice,” customer Elaine Kyle noted.

On Instagram January 26, the restaurant shared a photo of an employee checking a man’s temperature before he sat down for a meal:

View this post on Instagram

Notice to Prevent and Control Wuhan New Coronavirus (nCoV) Our dearest friends of Sichuan Impression, After a Washington state resident was diagnosed with the new coronavirus infection, a second US case was confirmed in Chicago on the 24th. On the same day, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a top-level tourist warning for the outbreak in Hubei, China, recommending planned travelers to cancel any unnecessary trips to the area. (from BBC NEWS) As a Chinese restaurant rooted in Los Angeles that aims at thriving the traditional Chinese culinary culture, Sichuan Impression also pays close attention to the development of this new epidemic. According to the news, infections are rapidly spreading across China. We at Sichuan Impression respect and enjoy having our guests who come from all corners of the world. Offering you a healthy and safe dinning environment is also upheld as our top priority. After taking careful consideration, we wish to adopt the following prevention and control measures and we sincerely ask for the cooperation from each and every guest: 1. We will use infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of each guest who comes to dine; 2. If any abnormal symptom, such as fever, is identified, we will immediately assist to contact the nearest medical service; 3. If you refuse to cooperate with the temperature measurement, we have to regretfully deny the service to you for the time being; 4. We encourage everyone to order “to-go” for the time being, and will offer 5% off discount for the entire order. It has been 6 years since Sichuan Impression opened, and to treat everyone who comes to dine equally has always been our basic principle. We are grateful for your cooperation during this extraordinary period. Sichuan Impression January 26,2020 #sichuanimpression #锦城里

A post shared by Sichuan Impression (@sichuan_impression_) on Jan 26, 2020 at 7:08pm PST

“It has been 6 years since Sichuan Impression opened, and to treat everyone who comes to dine equally has always been our basic principle. We are grateful for your cooperation during this extraordinary period,” the post read.

Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 647 confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus in the United States.

However, the agency said for the majority of people, the immediate risk of being exposed to the virus is low.

“There is not widespread circulation in most communities in the United States,” according to the CDC’s website.

Following a meeting with Senate Republicans on Tuesday, President Donald Trump urged Americans to remain calm amid growing fears of the spread of the virus.

“Everybody has to be vigilant and has to be careful but be calm, it’s really working out, and a lot of good things are going to happen,” he concluded.