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Restaurant employees are feeling the pressure as people stay safe at home to avoid getting the novel coronavirus.

In many cities, restaurants have been forced to partially shut down and offer only take-out, significantly reducing business and income for servers and staff.

But one man, a regular at Skillets restaurant in Naples, wanted to help out with a generous tip of US$10,000.

“He said, ‘I want each person in this restaurant to get $500. The manager distributed it to all the employees,” restaurant owner Ross Edlund told WKRG-TV.

The huge sum was distributed evenly between Edlund’s 20 employees, he told Fox News.

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“People come in and they become family. We know where they are from, we know how many kids they have, and we know what’s going on in their lives. They become a part of our team, a part of our restaurant,” Edlund said.

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Just a day later, Gov. Ron DeSantis forced all restaurants to close state-wide, NBC-affiliate WFLA-TV reports.

The restaurant owner estimates he had to lay off around 90 per cent of his staff in recent weeks due to lockdowns, according to the Naples Daily News.

“We want everyone to stay healthy and well,” he continued. “We believe that what is being done is the correct thing in spite of the fact it’s causing us hardship.”

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Edlund told media that he knows the generous donor, but is respecting his wishes to remain anonymous.

“Thank you very, very much,” he said.

“You are a really decent person, and you have touched our staff deeply.”

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Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

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For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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meaghan.wray@globalnews.ca