Michigan Governor to Order Statewide Closure of All Restaurants and Bars #DetroitFood

Restaurants and bars across the state will be ordered closed at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 16. | Stock Detroit

The new rule is expected to take effect at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 16, in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign an order today suspending the operations of all restaurants and bars in the state of Michigan in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The order will go into effect at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 16. More information is expected to be released shortly.

Whitmer had issued a previous order banning all gatherings of 250 people or more and strongly recommended avoiding events with more than 100 people, shortly after the first cases were identified in Michigan on Tuesday night. School across the state has been canceled due to the outbreak and the state’s Gaming Control Board is working to enact a temporary closure at all casinos.

On Sunday, ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, state Attorney General Dana Nessel gave a stern warning at a press conference to all venues that chose to ignore the 250-person event cap: Business owners could lose their liquor license and face a misdemeanor charge.

Meanwhile, governors in Ohio, Illinois, and California, as well as multiple municipalities enacted rules that effectively shut down the service industry. The goal of all the measures is to enforce social distancing — an essential public health measure in reducing the rate of new cases of the novel coronavirus. If the U.S. fails to “flatten the curve” of confirmed cases, hospitals could become overwhelmed and healthcare could be compromised.

Still, the closures are likely to have devastating consequences for the food and beverage industry, which already operates on thin margins and relies largely on a tipped workforce with limited access to healthcare benefits or paid time-off. While some businesses have moved to offer assistance to employees, it likely won’t be enough without federal or state aid.

• Michigan AG Urges Restaurant Industry to ‘Act Responsibly’ When It Comes to New Capacity Rules [E]
• Gov. Whitmer Says Gaming Control Board Plans to Temporarily Shut Down Michigan Casinos [ED]
• Restaurants and Bars Across the U.S. Face Mandated Closures and Other Restrictions in Light of Coronavirus Pandemic [E]
• All Coronavirus Coverage [E]

from Eater Detroit - All