Covid Safety Plan

for Moon Curser Vineyards - 3628 Hwy 3 East, Osoyoos

We have created and implemented a detailed set of rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of all our guests and employees. We last updated it after new health measures were ordered for Interior Health August 20, 2021. We thank you for your patience and support offered during these challenging times. 

The details of our safety protocols are outlined below - please keep reading...

What we ask of you: 

• Due to an Interior Health public health order - You must wear a mask at all times when inside, except while standing at the counter/barrel table tasting wine. This means you must wear a mask at all other times when not tasting, such as during initial entry, going to the washroom, and as soon as you are finished tasting wine before making any purchases and exiting the building.
• Please do not visit our premises if you are displaying any of the following new or worsening symptoms: fever or chills, cough, loss of sense of smell or taste, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue or tiredness, headache, body aches, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. Or have been identified by Public Health as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 or have been told to isolate by Public Health. This is for the safety of everyone. 
• Please remain 6 ft from others while on our property for the safety and comfort of our staff and other guests. 
• Please do not congregate with patrons in another group.
• Please use complimentary hand sanitizer. 
• Please do not touch any of the display signage or surfaces.
• No outside food or drink. 
• Please be patient with us during these challenging times/times of transition.

1. A Host/Sales Area under at the door end of the tasting room. 

A Moon Curser staff member will welcome you from a safe distance of 6+ feet. There will be no hand shaking or other close physical contact. You will be asked whether you have a pre-booked tasting appointment, and if so, be asked to use hand sanitizer upon arrival and directed to your tasting location. If you don’t have a pre-booked tasting appointment, you will be able to purchase wine, or inquire about booking a tasting appointment. 

• Please remain at 6 ft mark until asked to step forward to process payment. 
• Credit and debit card sales, contactless tap purchases when possible, are the preferred option at this time. 
• Credit card machine, the table top surface area, laminated/plastic covered wine list, employees’ hands and pen will be disinfected frequently throughout the day. 

2. The tasting rooms where you can enjoy a guided tasting with one of our experienced staff.

For your safety, tastings are by appointment. Appointments can now be booked online. 

If you arrive without an appointment, and there is room available at the next tasting session, we will be delighted to schedule your group in, availability permitting.  

Full details of the tasting experiences we offer can be viewed on our Visit Us page.

Please ensure you arrive a few minutes early to check-in. Because of our COVID-19 protocols, we cannot accommodate late arrivals without compromising the quality and length of your tasting experience.  

Physical Distancing/Barriers 

• Maximum number of persons (including children) permitted per group:
  • Guided Wine Tasting - 4 to 5 people, depending on available spaces.
  • Private Winemaker Tour & Tasting - 6 people.
• Physical barriers: plexiglass barriers, tasting bar & tables where 6 ft between groups can't be maintained. 
• Maximum number of patrons per room - Main tasting room = 24. Hideout lower tasting room = 12. Hideout lower patio = 12. Hideout upper patio = 12
• Please remain 6 ft from others while on our property for the safety and comfort of our staff and other guests. Markers on the floor for guests and for employee to ensure that the 6+ ft distance is maintained at all times.
  • This means that during the tasting experience, requests to step back and physical distance will be asked while wine is being poured. Employees will then step back over 6ft away after pouring so guests can step forward to taste while employees discuss the wines as a 6ft physical distance.  
• In Main Tasting Room each group will checkout at their tasting area with Credit Card machines brought to the guests if needed so there is no contact between the tasting groups. In Hideout lower tasting room/patio, one group will be asked to checkout at a time while the other group remains at their barrel table. 

Masks 

• Employees asked to wear masks
  • at all times while inside our tasting rooms or any public indoor settings
  • at all times in any indoor common areas of workplaces — meaning spaces where workers may gather with other workers when at the workplace
  • at any time physical distancing is not possible (including outdoors)
• Guests must wear a mask at all times when inside, except while standing at the counter/barrel table tasting wine. This means you must wear a mask at all other times when not tasting, such as during initial entry, going to the washroom, and as soon as you are finished tasting wine before making any purchases and exiting the building.
• There are exemptions regarding wearing masks for people with psychological, behavioural or health conditions or with physical, cognitive or mental impairments who cannot wear one, people who cannot remove a mask without assistance, children under the age of 12 or while communicating with a person who has a hearing impairment at a 6ft distance. 

Sanitization & Hygiene 

• Credit and debit card sales, contactless tap purchases when possible, are the preferred option at this time.  
• Hand sanitizer available upon arrival at check-in area and at each tasting location for use before and after tasting.  
• Our commercial grade dishwasher used for washing wine glasses has been inspected, and will be checked to ensure that it maintains the temperature needed to successfully disinfect all the glassware and spittoons. 
• Stainless steel spittoons or disposable spittoons will be available for each group. Host will use disposable plastic gloves when disposing of all the liquids after the tasting session. 
• Wine bottles and pouring spouts will not touch the wine glass while samples are being poured.
• Laminated/plastic covered tasting sheets will be cleaned and disinfected after each tasting session. 
• Tasting/wine purchases will be 30 minutes in duration for our Guided Wine Tasting and the following 15 minutes will be dedicated to cleaning and disinfecting of the tasting bar area/tables, credit card machines, laminated/plastic covered tasting sheets, glassware, spittoons, pens and other high touch areas. 

Policies 

Moon Curser employees have been instructed as follows: 

• To not come in to work, and to inform Moon Curser, if they are displaying any of the following new or worsening symptoms: fever or chills, cough, loss of sense of smell or taste, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue or tiredness, headache, body aches, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. If symptoms were to start while at work, they should sanitize hands, wear a mask and call your supervisor/811 or 911 depending on severity and follow Public Health's advice.
• To not come in to work, and to inform Moon Curser, if they have been identified by Public Health as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 or have been told to isolate by Public Health. 
• To follow any isolation and public health guidelines as directed by the Province of BC. 
• To follow all cleaning, disinfecting and hygiene protocols as specified by WorkSafe BC. Appropriate documents and checklists provided to each employee and supervision/assistance provided to ensure that protocols are being followed. 
• Provide feedback regarding potential risks or adaptations to the safety plan that may be needed.
• To review "Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace".
• To ask guests who display symptoms of COVID-19 to leave Moon Curser premises. 
• To ask or remind guests to follow Moon Curser's physical distancing requests, mask wearing regulations or anything in our COVID-19 Safety Plan, specifically in the "What we ask if you" section. If guests do not to follow the request, gain assistance from management if available or ask guest to leave Moon Curser premises. 
• To work in their separate offices, utilize phone and Zoom meetings whenever possible. Seminars and bigger meetings now allowed.

Communication Plans 

• Signs outside the tasting room reminding our guests/staff to not enter/visit us if they are displaying any of the following new or worsening symptoms: fever or chills, cough, loss of sense of smell or taste, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue or tiredness, headache, body aches, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. Or if they have been identified by Public Health as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 or have been told to isolate by Public Health. 
• Signs outside the tasting room requesting the guests/staff use the hand sanitizer before entering. 
• Signage inside and outside the tasting room reminding guests/staff about the 6+ ft physical distancing and mask wearing requirements. 
• Handwashing instruction sign displayed in all bathrooms and at other handwashing locations. 
• All “Help prevent the spread of COVID-19” WorkSafeBC signs displayed in staff areas. 
• Detailed information/instruction given by the host as to the COVID-19 protocols in place at the outset of the tasting. 
• All major updates due to new Public Health Orders will be communicated by the owners, or management, to all employees.