The new health order says restaurants and bars could resume normal operating hours

Columbia, Mo. (KMIZ)

Bars and rest restaurants in Boone County will no longer have to close as early as Thursday.

The Columbia / Boone County Department of Health and Human Services on Monday issued an amended coronavirus health order that eliminates the requirement that restaurants or bars and bars be served as soon as possible. The revised order also increased the gathering limit to 20 to 50 people and the event attendance reached 50% of the venue capacity or 200 people.

The order expires on March 24.

Browning said in a news release introducing the amended order that Boone County has seen a decrease in the number of COVID-19 infections and a significant reduction in the five-day rolling average in new cases. On Sunday it averaged 17 – down 68% from February 7, according to the release.

“We hope that infections will continue to decrease with changes in the health order, but it is important for our community to continue the COVID protocol – social distance, masking and handwashing – which has proven effective in controlling the spread of COVID-19,” Browning said.

Changes to the order include:

• Except as specified in the order, all gatherings or gathering places are limited to 50 people, including both public and private gatherings. Social distance requirements and / or face mask requirements must be observed.
• Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues may resume normal operating hours subject to the operational professional requirements indicated in the order. (Closing time was midnight in the previous order.)
• Bar service and buffet service with social distance and mask requirements are allowed. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. The previous order had banned bar and buffet service.
• Recreational facilities are limited to 200 persons and must obtain an operation plan approved by the Director of Health. The previous order had set a limit of 100.
• Capacity at child entertainment facilities and arcades will be limited to 100 children with a total capacity of 200 persons. An operational plan is required. The previous order had a list of 50 children and 100 total individuals.
• Indoor games are limited to 50% of their spectator capacity or 100 people. Outdoor sports are limited to 50% or 200 people.
• Social distance is required for personal care services. Businesses must follow mask requirements unless to provide services for which social distance or masks are not possible.

The health department said updated business and sport guidance would be released by the end of the week.

Sara Humme with the health department said numbers like active case numbers look really good for overcoming restrictions and have been low for a significant amount of time.

“We had a fairly rough fall. We saw some high numbers in November, but since the end of December or so we’ve seen very few positive case numbers which is really encouraging.”

She also said that hospitals are performing well and contact tracers are able to maintain the workload, something they could not do during the height of the epidemic.

With the new capacity limit, Humme said, it is even more important that people wear masks and social distance because the data show that they are important factors in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Hume said the Department of Health and Director Stephanie Browning have spoken to local businesses to hear their concerns and views on local sanctions.

“Part of what has also been taken into account is how we can ensure we can support our local businesses while taking the necessary steps to protect our community.”

Jaime Kane is the 9th Street Public House in downtown Columbia. He has previously said that the increased hours will benefit local businesses, especially bars and restaurants.

“I would say Midnight, which is a gift we didn’t expect, changed the game overnight to where I would say our sales almost doubled.”

He said the extra time would allow businesses to decide whether to stay open and then make more money.

He said in a business like a bar people have to keep telling people to wear masks and follow the guidelines because they are exposed later.

Kanne said he is happy that bar services can be resumed and he said customers will be happy too.

He said, “That’s what we do. We want people sitting at the bar. That’s why we made it.”

Kanne said he expects to see more entertainment in Columbia when the changes take effect. He said some spaces that have been closed could reopen because loose restrictions would allow them to do in some capacity what they did before the epidemic.

Kanne said his employees still need to discuss what they will change under the new order.

“Anything that gives us a better opportunity, an advantage is worth adjusting, so this gives us the opportunity to hire employees, add more shifts, give our current employees more hours, these kinds of things.”