Lightfoot Proposes Health And Safety Ratings For Restaurants In Wake Of COVID-19

CHICAGO (CBS) -- If you're heading out to a new restaurant, you might look for a review. Now the Chicago mayor's office is proposing all businesses in Chicago get a health and safety rating you could check first in the wake of the coronavirus.

A 104-page recovery report included 17 recommendations, many having to do with economic growth and business development. And Lightfoot said one way to make people feel safe is to provide a Zagat-style guide to health and safety.

The Zagat Survey was created four decades ago as a way to collect and correlate the restaurant ratings. Lightfoot and her massive team of industry experts are recommending that attractions and businesses get scored the same way, but instead on cleanliness and safety.

They are looking to a similar campaign in Singapore for guidance. Businesses in Singapore can earn the "SG Clean" Quality Mark by applying and checking off a list of health and safety standards like temperature checks, employee testing, and disinfection protocols.

SG Clean launched in February and thousands of businesses have since earned the quality mark. Chicago will now be looking to their results for guidance.

As Chicago's tourist attractions work towards full reopening there are very few specifics about how the the health checklist application process will actually work, and it was just one of dozens of recovery solutions proposed by the city.

There are no specific answers as to how the city will afford it.

"We cannot afford not to make these kinds of targeted strategic investments," Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot identified Dr. David Nabarro, a global COVID-19 expert, as the leader who would develop the Health Check.