In a statement released on Oct. 16, David Henry, executive director of UCR Housing, Dining & Hospitality Services announced that a member of The Barn staff has tested positive for COVID-19. Henry stated that the staff member will be required to refrain returning to campus for at least fourteen days and anyone who came in close contact with them will be required to do so as well. This will result in a temporary closure of the Barn with the tentative plan to reopen on Monday, Nov. 2.

The Barn exterior
(UCR/Stan Lim)

In an interview with The Highlander, Robin Hungerford, senior director of UCR Housing, Dining & Hospitality Services stated that since The Barn’s reopening in June, they have been following all of the protocols that were approved in operational plan provided the the  were approved in the operational plan provided by the Public Health Committee at UCR. The plan includes having the staff complete a daily online wellness check, frequent disinfecting of high touch areas, frequent hand washing, the mandatory use of face coverings and disinfecting the establishment nightly with an electrostatic backpack sprayer equipped with an EPA registered disinfectant.

Henry added that The Barn staff will have paid leave options available for the duration of the tentative two week closure. 

“We will continue to follow our established and approved protocols when the Barn reopens,” stated Henry. He added that on top of the daily disinfection processes already in place at the Barn, UCR Housing, Dining & Hospitality Services will also hire third-party specialists to perform a full disinfection process prior to staff returning to work and the restaurant re-opening.