As Miami-Dade restaurants reopen amid COVID-19, diners shouldn’t be dying to eat out | Editorial

Ready or not, Miami-Dade is reopening restaurants — again.

On Tuesday, County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, under pressure from financially strained restaurant owners, announced that limited indoor seating will be allowed at eateries starting Monday.

The last time Miami-Dade reopened, a spike in COVID cases followed, as happened statewide. What will be different this time?

It’s true that in the past few days, coronavirus infection numbers have been dropping. Hospitalizations are down; so is the number of new cases. The county’s infection rate hovered near the red-line level of 10 percent.

There is reason for optimism, but not to let our guard down. This virus has nine lives — and has taken more than 2,200 in Miami-Dade alone.

Gimenez said at a news conference that he received the blessing from the top members of the White House coronavirus task force — Drs. Andrew Fauci and Deborah Birx — to, again, open dining rooms, which restaurant owners have been clamoring for to survive. We understand, but lives are at stake here.

Stricter rules

When restaurant doors swing open Monday, it will be under enhanced rules and regulations. Curfews remain in place.

Restaurant owners have been pushing for a second wave of reopenings and have agreed to take extra steps to maintain 50 percent of their business indoors. They will be required to ventilate by keeping doors and windows open and keep air-conditioners running to increase air flow; up to six people will be allowed at each table, inside or outside. Customers also must wear masks until drinks or food are served at a table, a tweak from the prior rule that waived masks when at restaurant tables.

Since July 9, emergency orders from the mayor have banned most indoor dining at commercial establishments — and dozens of restaurants have closed permanently under the financial strain.

“This is a first step; we’re going to take things cautiously,” Gimenez said. Enforcement is key. Restaurant workers should not be the first and last line of defense against defiant diners who refuse to wear masks. Law enforcement should be prepared to provide the heft.

Plus, asymptomatic diners are a real danger.

Fines in Hialeah

The mayor of Hialeah, Carlos Hernandez, announced Tuesday he would no longer prevent restaurants from opening their dining rooms in his city due to the hardship it has caused small business owners. Gimenez said if Hialeah eateries open earlier or do not follow the rules, the county will hand out fines in that city.

Gimenez is not alone in venturing toward normalizing life. Miami-Dade and Broward school superintendents also hinted this week they might be ready to end distance learning and reopen schools sooner than expected.

And even the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes announced they’ll be letting in 20 percent of fans into the stands at Hard Rock Stadium when their seasons begin.

But there are also troubling numbers. At the University of Miami, some 140 students have come down with the virus, a clear outbreak.

“I’m very concerned. . . . I want to know what is the plan at the university to curtail what young people do,” said the mayor.

Gimenez’s decision to reopen more restaurants puts Miami-Dade in a vulnerable position again.

The last time restrictions were lifted, there was a second surge of pain and suffering. Yes, we need to save livelihoods, but not by putting lives in danger.

This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 6:00 AM.