At Johnny D’s Waffles and Benedicts, the kitchen may be hot, but the dining area is stone cold.

“We were having a really good March,” said chef and restaurant owner Jamie Daskalis. “It dropped big time.”

She said, even with offering takeout, business at

her Myrtle Beach, S.C. restaurant

is down 90 percent. All but one of her 30 employees are out of a job, along with 8 million others who work in restaurants across the country.

“Everyone else, unfortunately, is laid off,” Daskalis said.

Indoor dining is still off the table in South Carolina, but as the governor begins allowing more businesses to reopen, some are prepping for the day when diners may be allowed back inside.

“I have been preparing in my brain what I want to do,” Daskalis said.

Some ideas she has include:

- Removing condiments and napkin dispensers from tables
- Giving each guest a disposable, paper menu
- Having guests wait outside to be seated
- Spacing out tables to comply with social distancing

Fewer tables, though, ultimately means accommodating fewer customers and less revenue.

“I think that the profit margin is going to be even slimmer,” Daskalis said. “But I just want to make enough to pay bills and you know keep my employees employed.”

Getting employees back won’t be instantaneous, however.

“They have to bring them back. Then, they have to train them,” said Karen Riordan, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. “Then, they have to make sure they have all the right hand-sanitizer and protocols in the restaurant industry.”

At the federal level, some members of the coronavirus task force are cautioning about reopening businesses too quickly, like restaurants.

“If there’s a way that people can social distance and do those things, then they can do those things,” Dr. Deborah Birx said during a coronavirus task force news conference on April 21. “I don’t know how, but people are very creative.”

Yet, there are fears that not every restaurant will survive the coronavirus pandemic, and that when this is all over, the restaurant scene we’ve become accustomed to will look very different.

“I'm nervous for some restaurants here,” Daskalis said, adding that she hopes Johnny D’s will still be left standing. “I just want to be here for when this is done.”

As school districts across the country prepare to send kids back to school in-person, many bus drivers are voicing concerns about the potential for COVID-19 to spread on school buses, where oftentimes social distancing is nearly impossible.

For the better part of 32 years, Cheryl Merritt has driven a school bus in Hanover, Massachusetts. She has driven in every kind of weather condition imaginable, but this is the first year she’ll be driving a bus during a pandemic.

“I just want all the kids on the bus to stay safe and the drivers to stay safe. If we have a driver who gets sick, they’re going to be out for at least 14 days,” she lamented, as she turned her bus onto a side street in a residential New England town.

Merritt’s concerns are shared by school bus drivers and districts across the country. Many school bus drivers have retired from other professions, meaning their age makes them more susceptible to catching the virus.

“I don’t want this, I don’t. I’m not ready to die,” the 61-year-old Merritt said.

School buses are presenting a particularly difficult challenge as districts try to send kids back to the classroom. When fully loaded with kids, most school buses fit about 77 students. Cramming students into a bus though would be a perfect place for COVID-19 to spread, so many states are advising bus companies to have only one student per bench. But taking some bus capacity down to about 12 kids means school districts would need to run double or triple the number of trips each day just to pick every child up.

Transportation experts say adding more buses would be nearly impossible given a nationwide bus driver shortage, which existed long before the outbreak.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re gonna do with kids once you get them to school, you have to get them there first,” explained David Strong, who works with the School Transportation Association of Massachusetts.

Strong’s other concern is that kids won’t adhere to social distancing guidelines or mask-wearing requirements once they get onto a bus.

“There’s almost no way to realistically social distance on a bus,” he added.

To address concerns about the spread of COVID, many school districts are mandating that school buses keep their windows open year-round to help with the flow of air. Some districts are also adding bus monitors to ensure kids, especially elementary school students, are following new guidelines.

As for Merritt, she sees herself and other bus drivers as the first line of defense when it comes to keeping COVID-19 out of the classroom.

“When you stop to pick up a child look at them, make sure they don’t look sickly or they’re coughing,” she said.

Disney World recently updated several of its COVID-19 policies.

When it comes to its social distancing policy, the park is now asking large groups to separate from enforcing the new guidelines.

According to the park website, parties of 10 or more people are asked to split up into a smaller group to "better allow for physical distancing."

The park also updated its mask policy, saying that anyone over the age of 2, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, would still need to wear a mask at all times while inside the park.

"Please bring your face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming," officials said. "You may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing."

Park officials say face coverings must be made with at least two breathable material layers and must fully cover the nose and mouth.

Finding that special someone can be tough in the best of times. But couples who met each other over the past year have had to balance getting closer emotionally while staying physically apart.

Dating during the pandemic has come with novelties at every turn. Megan Farley started dating her boyfriend right before staying at home became the norm.

"He's met my mom once, and we've been dating more than a year," Farley said. "It's just kind of strange. We didn't do family holidays and I've been fortunate enough to meet his family too, but every time we do this we have to get tested because his family lives with his grandfather."

Instead of spending time out with each other's friends, they've spent more time inside playing games.

"I feel like it made us bond a little bit more just because we weren't able to have all those other distractions," Farley said. "It really showed the connection we have."

Courtney Quinlan owns Midwest Matchmaking. She said business is not only busy, but dating itself has changed with COVID-19.

"People are dating with the intentions of finding a lasting relationship more so than the previous hook-up culture. A lot of people are A, not having resources to just go out to bars anymore because they're not open, or B, they're scared to do that," Quinlan said.

Sidney Jacobson got into a relationship shortly before the first case of the virus arrived in Iowa. She said she's kept her circle of contacts small, but now she's planning Summerset Winery's first indoor event for Valentine's Day.

"It will be very private, intimate," Jacobson said. "Only 12 groups down in the cellar, and then we made sure that tables are going to be spaced out."

CHICAGO — The conversation over whether children unvaccinated against COVID-19 should continue to wear face masks is hotly debated in medical circles.

But more than a year of masking, hand-washing, and social distancing has made one thing clearer: children are getting sick less often. Some are now asking whether these protocols should be used to fend off other illnesses, well beyond the pandemic.

For the last 14 months, preschoolers at Laurance Armour Day School in Chicago have been masking up.

“Hand hygiene and masking has been crucial for us from the beginning,” said the school's program director Maria Walker. “Disinfecting, making sure everything's clean. High visible areas are cleaned every half an hour.”

Following strict protocols here has kept the virus at bay.

“Social distancing as much as you can with children and masking is one of the biggest ones and proper handwashing,” said Walker.

This day care and school for the children of healthcare workers and frontline medical staff never closed. It was granted emergency licensing to stay open, even when classrooms around the country were shut down.

“Everybody at first was fearful the children, 2 years and up, can't wear a mask,” said Walker. “Our children adjusted so well. We did a couple of activities with masks, and we had no problems.”

More than a year later, something remarkable has happened.

“I mean, pinkeye--the simplest thing as pinkeye--we have not seen any cases here the last 14 months,” she said.

Illnesses that frequently sweep through daycares and schools--like hand, foot and mouth disease, strep throat and influenza--have been nearly wiped out here.

“It may be more beneficial just to reduce the number of viruses that are around altogether so that you have less illness. And that, again, will protect the children for multiple reasons, including against COVID, flu and other things that put children in a hospital,” said Dr. Latania Logan, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide during the flu season the year before the COVID-19 outbreak (2019-2020), compared to just over 1,000 in the flu season during the pandemic (2020-2021).

Over the last four years, on average, 175 influenza-related pediatric deaths were reported during flu season. During the pandemic, there was just one.

“We have known for a long time actually that wearing masks during those times prevents the transmission of these viruses in the health care setting,” said Logan. “What we're seeing here is the same thing in the community.”

The CDC has relaxed mask-wearing guidelines for kids, but because there is no COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children younger than 12, the American Academy of Pediatrics says unvaccinated children still need to wear masks in certain settings.

For now, masks at the Laurance Armour Day School will continue to be part of the protocol, which could mean fewer germs on the loose for the time being.

“They're given the protocols,” said Walker. “And right now, it's mask-wearing, and that's keeping everyone safe.”

CINCINNATI — As COVID-19 recedes and most health orders have lifted in Ohio, the Cincinnati Reds had planned to welcome baseball fans back to Great American Ball Park with Reds "Re-Opening Day" Wednesday.

But Mother Nature had other plans: The day's inclement weather forecast caused the team to postpone Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Re-Opening Day against Philadelphia was rescheduled for June 28. The team's next game will be on the road in St. Louis Thursday.

While Opening Day in April drew crowds to the new DORA at The Banks, Re-Opening Day hoped to draw more people to the ballpark as capacity limits and social distancing requirements are lifted. There's also no mask requirement inside the stadium, but they are recommended.

Reds president and COO Phil Castellini said he wants people to support the team, but he also wants people to support businesses at The Banks which took a hard hit over the past year. He hopes this re-opening supports more than just baseball.

"This is about celebrating the reopening of our state, us getting control of our lives back," Castellini said. "I am ready and I hope you are as well. So thank everybody that has helped us get here as a state, let's keep it up, let's keep going, let's stay safe and let's put this thing in the rear view."

The game against the Philadelphia Phillies was scheduled to start at 12:35 p.m., and the city of Cincinnati declared today a "half-day holiday" so fans could support the Reds and local businesses.

Fans who decide to spend the afternoon Downtown or at The Banks despite the postponement should be aware Cincinnati police will be testing their SpotShotter technology using controlled, live gunfire later in the afternoon or early evening.

BATAVIA, IL — It’s been a lonely year. Travel warnings, social-distancing guidelines, and the risk of infection have kept families apart. But as millions get vaccinated, mini-reunions are happening around the country.

At the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, Jim and Kathy Freedlund, both 69, decided they wouldn’t take any chances with their health.

“We were, pretty much, for lack of a better term, sequestered in the house for the better part of a year,” said Jim Freedlund, a retired mailman.

The Freedlunds have two children and three grandchildren.

“The most difficult thing was not being with our kids and grandkids,” said Kathy Freedlund, a yoga instructor.

The safety measures meant the Illinois couple had to cancel or postpone all their trips to see their youngest granddaughter, Joy.

“The first year she was born, her first year, we flew out to Utah six times. They came up once,” said Kathy.

The last time they had visited with the toddler in Utah was Christmas of 2019. Since then, they’ve only been able to see her and their son, JJ, through a screen.

“It was really hard to know that Joy was growing and changing so much,” said JJ Freedlund from Utah. “And for them to just see little snippets here and there and not actually get to be around it and be excited.”

“It was 16 months,” said Jim Freedlund.

But once they were fully vaccinated and waited the two weeks for immunity to kick in, Kathy booked the first flight out to see their granddaughter, who is now a bubbly 2-year-old.

“It was just such a happy feeling to get that stick in the arm and know we're on our way to being able to see the kids again,” she said.

“We weren't even sure if she would actually remember them or know who they were because there's a difference, especially for a kid, between someone that's on a screen and someone that's right in front of you,” said JJ Freedlund.

But Joy had not forgotten them.

Kathy shot a cellphone video of the reunion. In the video, she can be seen talking to Joy through a car window.

“I can’t wait to spend some time with you,” said Kathy in the video.

“It was just I wanted to cry,” said Kathy Freedlund. “I could hardly talk. And then Megan, the daughter-in-law, came to get her out of the car seat, and it was the most darling thing she said: ‘Where’s grandpa?’”

“It's about as close as I've ever come to crying from being happy because I knew we were going to get to see part of our family again,” said Jim Freedlund.

The shared experience of isolation is beginning to be replaced by reunions like this.

They’re happening across the country, as family and friends try to catch up on missed time.

The Freedlunds are filled with gratitude. With so many lives lost, they know they’re fortunate.

“It was nothing short of just a wonderful feeling to be able to have that connection again.”

We know more about the COVID-19 vaccines and the CDC has relaxed their masking guidelines in certain situations. So you might be wondering about the risks of getting sick with COVID-19 in different situations. 

We asked the experts: What’s the risk of getting COVID-19 from working out at a gym?

Their take: The risk of contracting COVID-19 is low risk, if you’re fully vaccinated.

"If you're unvaccinated and you're around other unmasked people that are potentially not vaccinated, the risk would be much higher because you could have (a) risk of exposure to somebody that could transmit COVID-19," Katie Cary, assistant vice president of infection prevention for HCA Continental Division, told Newsy. 

"So unmasked and vaccinated, the risks are going to be far lower of a severe or even mild COVID-19 illness across the board. If you are unvaccinated and there are other unmasked unvaccinated people at the gym, you're going to be a little bit higher risk of transmitting or catching a Covid 19 infection if somebody else is unmasked and carrying COVID-19 at that time," Dr. Joesph Khabbaza, a pulmonary critical care specialist at Cleveland Clinic, said. 

"One of the risks really comes down to who else is in your life or in your household that may be at risk if you get COVID-19. And this is particularly something to consider when you are at a place like a gym where you may have a large number of people now coming in unmasked. And we know that as you breathe heavier, you dispel more droplets and potentially virus into the air. And the amount of virus in the air will really depend on how good the ventilation is and how many people are there at a given time," Dr. Kelly Cawcutt, associate medical director of infection control and epidemiology at Nebraska Medical Center, said.

This story originally reported by Lindsey Theis on Newsy.com.

CINCINNATI — After a 16-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Cincinnati Museum Center announced Saturday it plans to reopen the Children's Museum July 1.

Museum officials said recent consultation with health care professionals and new guidance from the CDC on masking and social distancing has paved the way for a safe reopening.

“We’ve been working closely with healthcare professionals and following CDC guidelines over the past several months to determine when we can responsibly reopen our Children’s Museum in a safe way that still delivers a premier learning-through-play experience,” said Museum Center president and CEO Elizabeth Pierce in a news release.

Guest capacity will be limited in the Children’s Museum to continue to allow social distancing, and the museum is implementing the same strict cleaning protocols it has been following in its other museums. Masks will be required in the museum to protect those who are not vaccinated, including children not yet eligible and those with underlying health conditions.

Updates on ticketing, member benefits and availability will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We know we’re not the only ones who will have this day circled on our calendars,” Pierce said. “Seeing kids climb through The Woods, splash through Waterworks and have those transformative moments of joy and epiphany are some of our most fulfilling moments as museum professionals.”

Along with the Children’s Museum, CMC anticipates reopening its STEM-in-action Science Interactives Gallery, presented by Procter & Gamble, this summer. The updated Ice Age Gallery, closed since the start of Union Terminal’s restoration in July 2016, will also reopen on July 1.

Abby Friedman was met with laughs when she first proposed the idea to her family of having Seder — the ceremonial dinner for the first night of Passover — over the conferencing platform Zoom.

“At first, my dad laughed at it, and said 'well I don’t really think so,'” she said. But once they fully absorbed the gravity of the ongoing pandemic, everyone was quick to get on board.

“Now we are going to have about 26 people on a Zoom link participating in a Seder,” Friedman, a corporate event planner, said.

Friedman’s family isn’t alone. With churches and synagogues closed around the country, many will be turning to technology to stay connected during Passover, Easter and later this month, Ramadan.

With stay-at-home orders still in effect, officials aren’t mincing words.

“We have got to stay home and stay away from each other,” Gov. Phil Murphy said during a briefing Wednesday. “It brings me no joy saying that during Passover, Easter or Ramadan or any other moment.”

With food playing a central role in celebrating religious traditions, Citymeals on Wheels, New York City’s emergency meal provider for seniors, delivered 10,000 Passover meals to those observing.

“It’s helping them feel a little less lonely and isolated to get this comforting food,” Beth Shapiro, executive director at Citymeals said.

Meanwhile, faith leaders came together for a virtual town hall with Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, encouraging believers to use the time at home to reflect.

“In the first Easter, the disciples of Jesus were locked in a room — they were fearful,” noted Monsignor Michael Andreano of St. Peter & Paul Church, likening it to the current climate where many are practicing social distancing.

Many places of worship are turning to live streams and telecasts, offering parishioners another option to participate.

This article was written by Andrew Ramos for

WPIX

.