It's A Pandemic; In Essex Two Businesses Shut Down From Covid-19.

ESSEX, CT — Shortly after The Black Seal Restuarant in downtown Essex re-opened and Deep River Roasters Coffee opened in Centerbrook for the first time, both businesses announced, via Facebook posts, Tuesday, March 16, that their doors are closed for now, due to possible Covid-19 exposure.

Deep River Roasters wrote to friends and customers that, "...due to a positive case of Covid-19 in our school community, members of our family have been quarantined." And although they have not been contact traced directly, and are under no obligation to close, they take the health and safety of the community and their customers very seriously and they are doing the responsible thing in closing. They will reopen once everyone in the family gets negative Covid-19 tests back.

The Black Seal, following the CDC guidelines, is also taking health and safety precautions and posted that the restaurant will be closed March 16, through March 18, "to conduct a deep clean." They will re-open on Friday, March 19. This is the same day that Governor Ned Lamont will roll back Covid-19 restrictions, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, lessening rules on entertainment and sports venues and lifting the travel ban.

The news of these two newly opened businesses, now closing their doors briefly, for reasons related to Covid-19 comes only one day after an e-mail went out to local parents informing them that positive Covid-19 cases in Region 4 schools, caused over 70 individuals to be quarantined.

The take-away is that, although the state is working feverishly to make the Covid-19 vaccine available to as many people as possible, the risk is still present in the tri-town community.