Diners were pictured undergoing a rapid coronavirus test before entering a New York City restaurant as part of a pilot testing program.
The program, which kicked off last night, required customers to take the test before sitting down at the City Winery in the Meatpacking District.
It is understood that the site will be the first in the country to create a “100% COVID-tested space”.
Images show customers being tested for Covid-19 by a healthcare professional. Other customers wear face masks as they line up for a test before entering the site.
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Healthcare professional administers COVID-19 test to enter City Winery on Tuesday
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Patrons of the restaurant, City Winery, take a covid test to enter. City Winery will be the first restaurant in the country to create a “100% COVID-tested space”
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Customers wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic while waiting to take a COVID-19 test to enter City Winery
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Customers wishing to sit at City Winery in the Meatpacking District will need to prepay $ 50 per person for the test when booking online.
The pilot test program was launched on Tuesday in what could be a first for the metropolis.
“A COVID-19 test is one of the only solutions to get customers to restaurants for the next five months until spring,” Founder and CEO Michael Dorf said in a press release.
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Woman takes COVID-19 test to enter City Winery on Tuesday in New York
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Customers wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic while waiting to take a COVID-19 test to enter the site
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Customers dine at the City Winery after passing the mandatory Covid-19 test. The pilot test program launched on Tuesday in what could be a first for the metropolis
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“With the change of seasons, finding the next level of safety and comfort for people to dine inside is essential for us today.
Potential guests will receive a health check and then a nasal swab by a healthcare professional upon arrival at the door and can have a drink while waiting 10 to 15 minutes to get the results.
If the test turns out to be negative, they will be allowed into the restaurant where standard mask-wearing and social distancing rules will still apply.
Positive test results will be sent to a lab for verification and the client will be refused.
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The restaurant and concert hall will continue to offer outdoor dining options in areas like the one pictured above.
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Founder and CEO Michael Dorf said testing is needed to draw customers in and keep the business going until spring. Pictured: Dorf hosts an on-site show in July 2019
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It is hoped that the test will help persuade diners that it is safe to sit indoors when the weather turns colder and al fresco dining is a less popular option. Pictured: one of the bars at City Winery
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The new measures will only be in place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the rest of the week the site is open without testing and outdoor seating is also available.
Jambands.com reported that all employees at the venue will also need to test negative before entering the restaurant for their shift to ensure everyone on the premises has tested negative that day.
The $ 50 fee that guests must pay for testing goes directly to the testing company, the City Winery press release says.
The place already carries out temperature checks, cleans tables and chairs between parties and offers contactless meals.
The pilot program comes as New York recorded 5,282 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the city’s total to 579,000.
Three more deaths were recorded in the city where 24,149 people were killed by the virus.
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