BEAUMONT, Texas — Without a doubt, the changes brought on by the coronavirus are being felt in Southeast Texas.
Just ask the staff at Madison's on Dowlen Road.
The Beaumont restaurant's dining room may be closed, but they're still finding ways to serve the community.
Manager Robby Valvano says the past few days have been quite the ride.
"It's unbelievable the roller coaster that we've been on," Valvano said. "You come with a plan, and not even the next day, within a couple hours your plan has to completely change into another direction."
Wednesday night, Madison's was forced to shut down the dining room following an order from Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick.
Owner Frankie Randazzo says he managed this restaurant through terrible times before and describes the pandemic in the best way he knows how.
"We knew we were going to see a shutdown to to-go only. We could foresee what other communities were dealing with," Randazzo said. "This is a hurricane that's coming, but we don't know when it's coming. We don't know how strong it's going to be or how weak it's going to be."
Now, Madison's is take-out or delivery only. Thanks to Gov. Greg Abbott, alcohol is allowed as part of the orders.
"We're able to distribute anything that is sealed. So, we're doing six packs of beer, we're doing wine," Valvano said.
The governor's waiver allows bars with certain permits to deliver alcohol, but there is a stipulation.
"It has to be purchased with food," Valvano said.
Madison's is already partnered with delivery services like Waitr and Favor so delivery is nothing new to them.
"Somebody did try to order a piece of toast and 1,000 shots of tequila today and I did have to tell him he couldn't do that," Randazzo said.
It's keeping up with the orders set forth from officials that has become tricky.
"We want to follow all of the executive orders that come down, but they literally change by the hour. So, we're trying to stay on top of all that," Randazzo said.
Madison's has also created something new amid these changes.
They're also now offering a pre-order protein program, so customers can buy protein in bulk and not rely on grocery stores to keep up with the high demand.
They're also going to Pinewood and Sour Lake to bring bulk family meals to those who typically can't get delivery on Friday evening.
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
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Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.