With bars and restaurants reopening next Monday, Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail hopes the move won’t lead to another uptick in COVID-19 cases.
Vail says the last time establishments were allowed to serve customers indoors, capacity was limited to 50-percent, and in her words, “it didn’t go so well.” When reopening next week, there will be a 25-percent capacity limit.
Still, she has concerns about an increase in cases.
“We certainly hope that we can get our restaurant, bar, hospitality out of the severe economic crisis that they have been in, so I want to be cautiously optimistic about that,” said Vail.
Along with the lower capacity, establishments will be required to deny entry to anyone not wearing a mask. Tables must be six feet apart, and there will be a 10 p-m curfew.
Ingham County has now had more that 14-thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19.