Where do ServSafe Food Managers Fit in the Coronavirus Vaccination Timetable?

Where do ServSafe Food Managers Fit in the Vaccination Timetable?

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Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

With the current rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, there is hope that a state a herd immunity will be reached and that life as we know it will return to some sort of normal state. From a public health standpoint, there appears to be a lot riding on vaccinations, and if these efforts are successful, we’ll hopefully see our restaurants, eateries and other food preparation businesses flourish once again. Since we’re looking at a phased vaccination process, we’ve been asked when ServSafe food managers and other food industry professionals will be potentially eligible to begin the vaccination process?

Where do ServSafe Food Managers Fit in the Coronavirus Timetable
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COVID-19 Vaccine Timetables and ServSafe Food Managers

Before we begin discussing the vaccine, we must stress that at Safe Food Training our focus is on food safety management and our expertise lies in that area, not in the medical field. However, it’s becoming vital to understand COVID-19 protocols and solutions that will keep our guests safe from potential infection and allow our local restaurants to reopen at full capacity. These vaccines could play a role in speeding up the reopening process, so when should ServSafe food managers get the option of taking the vaccine?

From our research, restaurant workers, food service professionals and ServSafe food managers in the private sector will probably have to wait until vaccination efforts have covered medical professionals, the potentially susceptible and other fields deemed “essential” by public health officials. There is, however, a portion of foodservice professionals that may be able to choose to be vaccinated earlier than others. You may want to discuss early vaccine options with your employer if you handle food in:

  • Hospitals
  • Medical Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Nursing Homes
  • School Cafeterias

While front-line medical staff and the elderly should have first priority due to their increased potential for exposure and risk, food safety workers in these fields may be eligible in an earlier phase of the vaccine rollout than private-sector ServSafe food managers. Rules often change county by county and even from facility to facility, so if you’re in one of these positions, you may wish to discuss the vaccine timeline with your employer.

While many of us will have to wait to see when we’ll have the option to receive the vaccine, food industry professionals in high-risk facilities appear to be edging closer. Where do you think food industry professionals rank in the vaccine line?

How To Guide For CFPMs Returning To In-Person Training

How To Guide For CFPMs Returning To In-Person Training Starting Jan 20

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Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions to indoor gatherings have created great challenges for effective Minnesota certified food protection manager’s (CFPMs) training. Food protection management certification is essential to the advancement of food safety and the protection of those who visit restaurants, cafeterias and other food preparation businesses.

Over the past few months, future CFPMs and those seeking training before renewal have had to rely on online food safety management training with in-person sessions on hiatus. While online food safety training qualifies for certification, nothing quite beats a classroom setting with a food safety expert available to engage with students, answer questions and cover topics that are specifically relevant to students attending the class. There is hope on the horizon for in-person food safety training, so let’s take a look at how future students can prepare for the return of in-person CFPM classes.

How To Guide For CFPMs Returning To In-Person Training
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Preparation Guide for Returning to In-Person CFPMs Training Classes

Safe Food Training is excited to announce, we have moved our return to in-person certified food protection manager training in the classroom to Jan 20. The in-person classes will follow the CDC guidelines for group meetings, we’ll require masks and seating will be spaced at least 6 feet apart. We’re enthusiastically preparing for a return to personally engaging with students and providing the training necessary to prevent foodborne illness.

If it’s been a while since you’ve attended a CFPM training class, there are a few things you can do to get the most of your experience:

  • Write down questions you may have
  • Review Minnesota Food Code Fact Sheets
  • Think of unique food safety scenarios specific to your food business
  • Peruse the training materials ahead of time

If you take the time to review these steps, you’ll come to class ready to engage with some knowledge of the subject matter. Being prepared to interact with trainers and fellow students will help ingrain food safety principles in your mind and leave you confident when it comes time to take your certified food manager exam. You’ll also leave with a better understanding of how to keep your food safe and promote a healthy environment for your guests.

Are you excited to return to in-person classroom training for certified food protection managers?

Online menu design ideas for certified food protection managers

Attractive Online Menu Ideas for Certified Food Protection Managers

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We all know how important it is for certified food managers to have a well-defined web presence, but just increasing the chances that customers find you may not lead to an increase in business. Your online menu will ultimately influence whether or not new customers will choose to place an online order from your establishment, so let’s take a look at some online menu design ideas for certified food protection managers that will increase your chances of gaining new online customers.

Attractive Online Menu Design Ideas for Certified Food Protection Managers
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How to Design an Online Menu Will Help Certified Food Protection Managers to Attract Business

Some experts have suggested that new visitors will spend less than 10 seconds to decide whether to peruse your full menu or move on to the next site. When a customer leaves your online menu that quick, not only do you lose their potential revenue for that transaction, but there’s a good chance they’ll never return. Here’s a few key ideas to keep customers on your menu page and potentially place an order:

  • Clean Visual Layouts
  • Ingredient Information
  • Organization of Menu Item

While there may be some artistic license to promote your brand with your online menu, potential customers won’t sift through a jumbled mess. CFPMs should make sure that your digital menu is laid out in a way that allows for easy viewing. Remember that your online menu will be viewed on both PC’s and smartphones, so verify your format is clean on both platforms.

More and more customers are concerned with allergens and dietary restrictions than ever before. If your menu neglects ingredient information, they may leave quickly. Diners with allergies usually don’t gamble just by item description alone, so make sure you mark items that meet certain criteria such as gluten free, kosher or paleo friendly. It’s also important that certified food protection managers note in your online menu which items may come in contact with common allergens such as nuts, dairy and seafood.

Finally, make sure your online menu is well organized. Visitors won’t want to dig for appetizers, entrees and specials. An easily navigable online menu allows guests to quickly place an order without searching for items they desire.

Does your certified food protection manager have an online menu strategy?

2020 IS HINDSIGHT

2020 Is Hindsight… Thank Goodness!

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2020 is about done
It can’t end soon enough
This year doing business
Has been pretty rough

It started out fine
Things going quite well
Then COVID 19 hit
And things went to Hell

Schools moved to homes
ICU’s had no room
If you wanted to meet
You had to use zoom.

2020 IS HINDSIGHT

The virus was raging
We had to cut down the pace
The order was given
To shelter in place

Classes were canceled
For many a day
It started with March
Then April and May

When we could reopen
Was hard to discern
We were waiting some
Damn dials to turn

We got the OK
For some time in July
With our COVID 19 plan ready
We gave it a try

With masks and hand sanitizer
We started our day
Then wiped it all down
With disinfecting spray

This new mask routine
Worked Ok for awhile
I was beginning to think
I could hear people smile

November arrived
With a hard virus smack
And so we proceeded
To dial it back

For December and January
We again started new
So if you need training
Here is what you can do

If you need certification
The online training is best
Then you can come in
And just take the test

If you need recertification
You will also be fine
You can do that whole program
Completely online

We will resume classroom training
As soon as we can
You can sign up for February
When we are starting again

All the great people I work with
Is what will stick in my mind
Thank you all for being
Flexible, understanding and kind

We will get through this
A vaccine is here
From Safe Food Training
Have a Happy New Year