Medford Restaurant Reopens After Being Linked To Virus Cluster

MEDFORD, MA — A Medford restaurant that local health officials linked to a cluster of coronavirus cases reopened Saturday with a "renewed spirit." Raso's Grille closed Dec. 1 after being told that a customer tested positive for the virus. Two days later, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced the city was tracking two separate case clusters, one of which stemmed from a "potentially oversized" gathering at Raso's.

Restaurant owner Richard Raso, a Medford police officer, emphasized he followed all COVID-19 protocols.

"We would like to reassure our community that we have been following all COVID-19 guidelines and will continue to do so with guidance from the board of health and CDC," a Dec. 1 statement on the Raso's Facebook page read. "We have requested that all our employees be tested, and we will plan accordingly once we've gathered all results."

In the ensuing weeks, the restaurant continued to update customers on the results of employee tests. An employee that worked the day after Thanksgiving tested positive for the coronavirus, as did two others who worked that weekend.

Raso's underwent a professional deep cleaning and sanitizing and tested its employees multiple times before reopening Saturday.

"We emerge from this experience with a renewed spirit and a steadfast commitment to our staff, patrons and community," the team wrote on Facebook Dec. 12. "Thank you for all the supportive messages and prayers."

Health Director MaryAnn O'Connor told The Boston Globe the city is investigating whether Raso's violated state restrictions. Medford has levied one $500 fine so far during the pandemic to a host of a Halloween gathering.