Will Broward follow Miami-Dade and close restaurants? Order could come Tuesday
Update: Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness issued an order on restaurants on Wednesday afternoon.
As coronavirus cases surge across the state, especially in South Florida, local governments are either going back into — or seriously considering — lockdown mode.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez responded to the county’s number of cases and deaths — the highest in the state — by signing a new emergency order Monday that goes into effect Wednesday. Restaurants and gyms that had been opened with restrictions are to mostly close again in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
“We want to ensure that our hospitals continue to have the staffing necessary to save lives,” Gimenez wrote in his order. “We can tamp down the spread if everyone follows the rules, wears masks and stays at least six feet apart from others. I am counting on you, our 2.8 million residents, to stop the spread so that we can get back to opening our economy.”
But on Tuesday, after citing a consultation with medical experts and the county’s Wellness Group, Gimenez reversed course and will allow gyms and fitness studios to remain open so long as patrons wear masks indoors. If they are doing strenuous training, it has to be done outside.
Broward County has yet to follow suit, but it’s likely.
“We are expecting another emergency today or tomorrow but won’t know what it includes until we see it,” said Lori Shepard, a spokeswoman for the county, on whether Broward Mayor Dale V.C. Holness will take similar action.
A representative from the mayor’s office, Lahoma Scarlette, confirmed an announcement was expected sometime Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, Broward officials met to discuss what actions the county could take, the Sun Sentinel reported.
“I think it’s very likely for gyms, for restaurants [to close],” Holness said after the meeting, WPLG Local 10 reported. “It might not happen now, but unless we see a reduction in the numbers, it might happen in the future.”
What it could look like
Since the counties are so close, Broward’s order could mirror Miami-Dade’s, which is under a 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. countywide curfew except for essential workers, the media and people with religious obligations. Broward and Monroe counties do not have a curfew.
Mask requirements are also tighter in South Florida, with Miami-Dade and Broward requiring masks outside at all times.
Starting Wednesday in Miami-Dade, restaurants must close all inside dining. Outside dining with tables limited to four patrons, takeout and delivery services will be allowed.
Bars were not allowed to open, but that brought a rush to bars inside restaurants.
In Broward County, alcohol sales in restaurants and bars have to stop from midnight to 5 a.m. and restaurants have to stop serving food in that same time frame. Delivery, drive-through and pickup are still available.
Bars in Broward are also closed.
Miami Herald staff writer Carli Teproff contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 10:26 AM.
