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Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette Logo Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette

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Burn in Berlin closes indoor dining

By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

ALLY LANASA/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Vincent Sebastian, owner of Burn Wood Fired Pizza on Old Ocean City Boulevard in Berlin, announced on Monday that the restaurant would be closing indoor dining for the foreseeable future due to a spike in positive cases in Worcester County.

(July 30, 2020) Burn Wood Fired Pizza announced on Facebook on Monday that it would be closing indoor dining because of a spike in positive cases of coronavirus in Worcester County.

“It was a tough decision to make, but we felt like it was necessary,” said owner Vincent Sebastian.

As of Wednesday, 508 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported since March in the county.

The post on the restaurant’s Facebook page stated that the decision also came upon receiving many “out of state and in state visitors from high risk areas.”

“A big part of the problem with indoor dining is people get to sit down at the table, and they don’t have to wear their masks … but our servers, who are all wearing a mask, aren’t being protected because the people at the tables aren’t wearing a mask,” Sebastian said.

Sebastian said the restaurant staff is following all guidelines from the CDC and the health department about disinfecting and social distancing, including using an anti-bacterial spray on hard surfaces and in the bathrooms.

No employees have contracted the coronavirus so far.

“We just felt like it was an unnecessary risk. We’ve made it this far, why take the chance?” Sebastian said.

Visitors are encouraged to use the outdoor dining space and curbside service at the restaurant located at 10019 Old Ocean City Boulevard in Berlin.

There are 10 picnic tables that seat six people and are spaced seven feet apart, Sebastian said.

“We saw the effectiveness of doing curbside [and] doing dining outside, and we just don’t feel like we’re creating the safest environment for our employees and our customers by allowing indoor dining,” Sebastian said.

Visitors should wear masks until seated at a table.

Sebastian added that hand sanitizers are available for visitors and visitors will still have access to the bathrooms at the restaurant through an entrance in the back.

“They can access the bathrooms without having to go through the bar or dining room area that we previously had seating in,” Sebastian.

As of Wednesday, all other Berlin restaurants are operating as normal.

For more information about the restaurant’s operations, visit Burn Wood Fired Pizza on Facebook or call 410-973-2038.