Omicron Blues for Restaurants and Bars

Restaurants and bars having a tough time with Omicron

People in the food and beverage industry are back to having evenings to themselves with restaurants and bars shut at 6pm; only those offering takeaway can stay open.

People need to eat, but don't want to linger

Some restaurants have tried to offer late lunches and early dinners, but there aren't many takers this time. Last year many people were stuck with not much to do at work so they took advantage of lingering longer in places, particularly fine-dining restaurants.

But perhaps this time the real fear of Omicron being really contagious and having two jabs doesn't guarantee protection has made people really worry.

There were 21 new cases today, one local, four import-related, the rest were from overseas.

Our office has mandated that only people who are fully vaccinated can come into the office, and must show their certification. So it was a surprise to find a number of my colleagues have not been jabbed and don't intend to be inoculated either. One finally gave in, as he was recently promoted to lead a department.

Tonight's view of the harbour from Wan Chai

Some people grumble the government should not have said the restrictions will be in place for two weeks, but instead should just say off the bat that it's for one month. Two weeks gives people hope that they will be able to celebrate Chinese New Year which starts on February 1, but the reality is at this point, with clusters popping up here and there, health officials will not be able to clamp down on Omicron that quickly.

Previous experiences have also shown restrictions extended for more than a month. The start of the Year of the Tiger will most probably be cancelled. 

As for myself, this means more time on my hands in the evenings. The cooler temperatures have made it perfect conditions for walking and jogging along the harbourfront. This evening I actually walked and jogged over 11km which was quite an accomplishment for me. I used to be shocked at seeing people wearing T-shirts and shorts in 13 degree weather, but once you start running you understand why.

Hamburger of the moment

In the meantime, this afternoon I visited a bar to talk to the owner about cocktails when I perused his menu. On the list of things to eat I spied this item. Will have to try it next time.