A downtown brew pub is going above and beyond when it comes to quelling the COVID-19 pandemic.
CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery has closed its indoor and outdoor dining even though, as of Monday morning, the provincial health officer was still allowing restaurants and other types of eateries to keep their doors open.
Prince George physician Dr. Daryl Leiski is the owner, and in a statement issued Sunday, he said it's simply the right thing to do in light of the growing number of cases in Northern B.C. and the stress they are putting on University Hospital of Northern B.C. Thanks to the virus, he said inpatient population is consistently over 100 per cent of available beds.
"It is not just our beds and bed availability, it is our people that staff those beds. Our nurses, doctors, xray/lab techs, cleaners, support staff and administration are working with increased workloads, increased stressors and with little relief in sight. They worry about their own health and the health of their families," he said.
"As a physician working within our community, I feel that we need to do what we can to help in any way possible. As the owner of CrossRoads, I feel that it is my responsibility to protect our community, my staff at CrossRoads, my friends and colleagues at UHNBC and those that have and continue to support us."
"Closing the restaurant for indoor/outdoor dining at a time when our health authority and our provincial health officer, Dr Bonnie Henry, is imploring people to minimize contacts and to stay at home is the right thing for CrossRoads to do at this time."
CrossRoads will continue to offer home delivery and takeout services from noon to 9 p.m. each day.
