With the rise of coronavirus patients in Chicago, plans to reopen lounges and bars are coming to a halt. Lounges like the Green Mill Lounge were planning to reopen this Friday allowing visitors to have drinks and enjoy some Jazz Music. Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on July 20th, 2020, “We have made so much progress here in Chicago in containing the spread of the virus, protecting our health system and saving lives, and in general, the virus remains under control locally. But we are again seeing a steady increase in new cases,” which led to the new rules to reopening lounges, Bars, and other venues.
The rules include:
- Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, and breweries, will be reduced to six people.
- Personal services involving faces will no longer be permitted such as shaves, facials, etc.)
- Residential property managers will be asked to limit guest entry to five per unit to avoid indoor gatherings and parties.
- Bars, taverns, breweries, and other establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption without a retail food license will no longer be able to serve customers indoors.
Residents of the city were looking forward to the reopening of downtown. The health of the city is the top priority. LightFoot also stated, “While we aren’t near the peak of the pandemic from earlier this year, none of us wants to go back there, and we feel these restrictions will help limit further community spread.”
Written by Trinity Simmons-Brooks
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
NBC Chicago: Chicago Halts Indoor Service at Bars, Heightens Some Restrictions as Cases Rise
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Inline Image Courtesy of Helen Forlani Flikr Page – Creative Commons
