The scoop on local shops amid the pandemic

Photo Courtesy: Divina Rodgers (TULSA, Okla.) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that supports coronaviruses are transmitted with food. The current consensus is the virus is spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. But it may possible, experts say, that someone can get COVID-19 from touching a packaging container that has the virus on it, and then touching their own face. Despite what the CDC calls a “likely very low risk” of the virus being spread from food products or packaging, many local establishments are going the extra mile to ensure the safety of their customers. VNN took to social media to find them, and report what local customers are saying about them. LOCAL BUSINESS 918 Coffee 918 Coffee offers a curbside service in which they leave the coffee on the hood of your car. https://tulsa918coffee.com/ Ah-sigh-e We’re told this beverage shop has built a plexiglass shield and a rolling tray to roll out their products, and have a hands-free payment method so there’s no contact. https://ahsighe.com/ Andolini's Pizzeria According to their website, they are providing contact-free food using the highest standards of cleanliness. Andolini's Pizzeria trucks have been making the rounds in local neighborhoods. You can request their Andolini's Pizzeria Mobile Food Truck to visit your neighborhood or essential workplace by emailing catering@andopizza.com https://www.andopizza.com/ Bobby-O’s Pizza Bobby-O’s tells VNN they have not let customers inside their shop since March 18, and only have four non-family members employed. We’re told they don’t touch credit cards, they sanitize the hand-held credit card machine after every use and they wash their hands constantly. https://bobby-os.com/ The Mobile Mango The owner of this taco food truck tells us they offer a very sanitary environment: self- contained, open air, and patrons are never inside. They encourage contactless ordering and payment through our website, and have removed all self-service sauces. They said they only have their family working at this time, and have one person who gets the supplies. We’re told gloves and masks are worn while getting supplies and all packaging and items are sanitized before they are brought into the kitchen, in addition to employees changing gloves between each interaction and delivery drivers wearing gloves and sanitizing between each food delivery in tied bags. https://www.themobilemango.com/ Sugar Booger Shaved Ice Sugar Booger customers tell us this shop used gloves, masks, allowed drive through service and “seemed very sanitary on the side of not spreading anything.” They said they even let them put their own credit card in the little machine. https://www.pickyoursugarbooger.com/ Topeca Coffee A rep for Topeca Coffee sent us this list of the steps they are taking at their locations: “All orders are made in advance via our online café order system at https://topecacoffee.com/locations/ Only 1 barista is working at the café at a time. Barista’s have been instructed to stay home and report any sign of illness or COVID-19 symptoms, or if they’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive. We’ve increased our hard surfaces sanitation practices, sanitizing at least once an hour We’ve increased hand washing to at least once an hour Barista’s use clean gloves while preparing and delivering beverages to the designated pick-up point. Changing gloves frequently We have not had access to medical masks, following the federal anti-hoarding policies passed into law last week, allowing these items to be getting to where they are needed most. However, we are looking into CDC’s latest recommendations on home-fabricated masks No customers are allowed inside the café Drinks are delivered on a sanitized rack that barricades the entrance, acting like a walk-up window. For our roaster we’ve been practicing the following under our written Infectious Illness Reporting Policy and Infectious Illness Outbreak Producers: Practicing personal distancing in the workspace. Staff keeps to their personal designated spaces. Increased surface sanitation, once hourly. Increased hand washing, once hourly Use of gloves when working in roasting, packaging, handling areas. Use of face masks when working in roasting, packaging, handling areas We have not purchased any new masks at this time for same reasons as above but are looking into CDC’s latest recommendations. No visitors allowed in the roasting facility. Packages are delivered in a designated area just inside the receiving door. Packages are quarantined for 24 hours before opening/handling.” https://topecacoffee.com/about/ NATIONAL CHAINS Ding Tea We’re told Ding Tea seals their cups so they are spill proof. 918-928-4303 www.dingtea.com Pizza Hut Pizza Hut says their pizza goes straight from the oven into the box. https://www.pizzahut.com/ Sonic An employee at the Sonic in Midtown told VNN people who work at their location are washing their hands every 20 minutes for 20 seconds twice then using hand sanitizer. They said they are also using hand sanitizer in between customers, and cleaning every two hours using a hydrogen peroxide mixture. https://www.sonicdrivein.com/ Starbucks According to their website, Starbucks is frequently cleaning and sanitizing high-contact surface areas, increasing hand washing by their partners, making gloves available to cashiers, supplementing partner hand washing with hand sanitizer and restricting the use of personal cups, reusable cups and water bottles for partners and customers. A local Starbucks employee told VNN they have a designated person who handles cash and other payments, and that person wears gloves. They could not, of course, confirm this was done at every local location. https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/ Ziggi’s We’re told Ziggi’s on 71st takes care not to spread germs in their drive-through, and cleans customers’ cards as they hand them back. https://www.ziggiscoffee.com/ This list will be updated periodically. Know a shop that deserves to be on this list? Email bharlow@verifiednews.network Many people reported employees at local shops they have ventured to since the shelter-in-place orders were not wearing gloves or masks. Some were observed not washing their hands between customers. Experts recommend ALWAYS washing your hands before you eat anything, and to not touch your face.