'What else can we do to stay open?': Windsor restaurant manager feeling defeated over COVID-19 restrictions

The general manager of a Windsor restaurant said she's feeling "defeated" over the return of restrictions on indoor gathering sizes.

Climbing COVID-19 case numbers are behind the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's decision to once again limit gathering sizes. The regulations come into effect on Friday.

As of Monday, there were 518 active COVID-19 cases in Windsor-Essex; the health unit reported 187 new cases that day. A Public Health Ontario Daily Epidemiological Summary report showed a 40.7 per cent increase in cases in the region between the weeks of Nov. 20-26, and Nov. 26-Dec. 2, one of the highest case rates in the province.

At Windsor restaurant the Grand Cantina, the restrictions mean occupancy will be capped at 20 people — bars and restaurants are being limited to 50 per cent of their capacity — and bar seating won't be available, general manager Jennifer Pertras said Monday.

"The numbers are high," she said. "They're going to keep being high."

"It's cold and flu season, it's going to keep happening," Pertras said. "All all we can do is keep following the rules, which we are. Everyone is washing their hands a thousand times a shift."

"We never take our masks off. We're wearing safety glasses at the table again. It's just very redundant at this point."

Pertas said she doesn't see the reason for some of the restrictions, given unvaccinated individuals are already not allowed to enter bars and restaurants in Ontario.

"If you don't want to be vaccinated ... that's your choice. [The] government has decided the consequences of that decision is you can't come in here," she said. "If you are, great, let's keep going, let's open the doors, do our jobs. I'm down to keep wearing the mask, but how can I not serve somebody at this bar when we're vaccinated and wearing masks?"

"What else can we do to stay open?"

The new restrictions are also having an impact on live music in the region.

Shawn Bentley, lead vocalist and guitarist with Sarnia band Johnny Deerest, said the band has cancelled an upcoming show at Windsor's Phog Lounge on Dec. 17, as travelling to perform live just isn't feasible under the rules.

"We were bringing another band down from Sarnia, too," Bentley said. "We were bringing down Jacob Barber and the Melody Machine."

The new restrictions would limit the audience at the Phog Lounge to about 30 people, Bentley said, adding there are seven members between the two bands.