With government officials fearing yet another surge in coronavirus infections because of irresponsible socializing, several jurisdictions have decided to suspend indoor dining through the holidays. Meanwhile, New York has reversed its controversial decision to prohibit customers from even entering a restaurant, even when nature beckons for a trip inside.
Here’s a quick roundup of the latest developments.
Washington, D.C., keeps dining rooms closed for Christmas
Restaurants in the nation’s capital will be required to shut down their dining rooms starting at 10 p.m. on Dec. 23 to prevent holiday revelry from spreading coronavirus. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the suspension of indoor service will continue through Jan. 15. Outdoor dining will be allowed, but with the stipulation that at least two sides of any outdoor seating facility be open for ventilation, and that outdoor service be paused in the event of a “snow emergency.” Small electric heaters can be used in outdoor areas if the extension cords that feed them power have an eight or 10-gauge rating.
Takeout and delivery will be permitted, the mayor said.
The city also cleared the way for further restrictions by formally extending its state of emergency until March 31.
Minnesota extends dining-room shutdown
The indoor-dining ban that was scheduled to end for restaurants last Friday has been extended by Gov. Tim Walz to Jan. 11. Bars, concert halls and other live-entertainment venues also remain closed. Outdoor dining is permitted, but only at 50% of an establishment’s exterior seating capacity, up to 100 people.
Chicago maintains indoor dining ban, curfew
Similarly, restaurants and bars in Chicago learned on Sunday that the city’s ban on indoor dining has been extended indefinitely because of an ongoing surge in new coronavirus infections. A controversial 11 p.m. curfew on outdoor service and to-go liquor sales also remains in effect. The curfew remains in effect every morning until 6 a.m. Restaurants can continue to offer delivery and takeout at any hour.
New York clarifies restaurant-bathroom access rules
After touching off a short-lived but intense controversy last Thursday about where outdoor-dining customers in New York City could answer nature’s call, state officials have clarified that patrons dining in exterior restaurant facilities can indeed be permitted inside to use a bathroom.
"So to all New Yorkers who go to a restaurant: Yes, you can use the bathroom," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said after the matter was resolved.
He said that access had been closed to restaurant bathrooms by mistake, and directed blame for the flub at state officials, who have yea-or-nay authority on the city’s COVID-related regulations. The state authorities, in turn, reported that the rule change was included in a document distributed to city businesses without the state’s approval.
"There was never an intention to tell diners that you can't use a restroom,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press briefing. “It was clarified as quickly as we heard about it."
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