The governors of Florida and Texas have decided that the recently reopened bars are the cause of record levels of new cases of coronavirus in their states. On Friday, they closed the bars there, closing businesses that had just returned to work.
Seven states report new highs for coronavirus hospitalizations, according to the Washington Post. They include Arizona, Arkansas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. More than 800 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the United States on Tuesday, the first time deaths have increased since June 7.
While Los Angeles County bars and restaurants are not yet under new closure orders, many homeowners are cautiously watching the situation unfold elsewhere as cases continue to escalate in their area. Many locations in Florida and Texas have reordered supplies in anticipation of a surge, and now those investments in goods may not provide a return.
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Authorities attributed the renewed closings to a lack of social distancing and not wearing masks, but they also admitted that more widespread testing may be contributing to the increase in numbers. Still, no one was taking a risk and other states are taking notice. Abroad, Beijing, Singapore and Hong Kong had to renew their quarantine efforts after the reopening, so there are already lessons to be learned.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom recommended imposing a strict stay-at-home order for rural Imperial County, located east of San Diego. It now has the highest test positivity rate of any county in the state.
California is monitoring several other counties where cases have skyrocketed. The surge in new cases has caused Newsom to curb orders that would be opened by other industries across the state, including movie theaters, Disneyland and other amusement parks, the goal of which was to reopen in mid-July.
Several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have also been delayed in increasing business reopens while monitoring the situation. As San Francisco has a sudden surge, it will stop its reopening, the city’s chief health officer said Friday. Businesses scheduled to reopen Monday will now remain closed, said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. They include hair salons, hair salons, tattoo parlors, zoos, open-air bars, and outdoor pools.
