In a normal society, the government would inform citizens when outbreaks of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are happening at businesses nearby.
However, we live in Florida where the Governor has actually invited a national convention to our state in the middle of a pandemic that has killed 116,000 Americans so far. Where the health department fired a data scientist because she refused to manipulate data to fit his opening criteria.
In the middle of the night, the Tampa Bay Times broke a story about COVID-19 cases at The Galley, Park & Rec St. Pete, and The Avenue in Downtown St. Petersburg. All the bars have closed temporarily due to staff members testing positive to COVID-19.
No doubt if you have been eating or drinking there you should be getting tested yourself to make sure you don’t have COVID-19. We were warned by scientists that restaurants and bars were not safe due to the ease in which spread can occur indoors with people and laughing inside paired with air-conditioning units.
Bars and restaurants should be more vigilant about testing staff and customers, closing for 2 weeks or even a few days is detrimental to a business right now. Obviously proper mitigation efforts are not being done. This will keep happening.
In one of my recent visits to pickup food at restaurants for curbside, I have noticed very few of them are observing capacity limits and customers are swarming together in clusters and groups. Parking lots filled. Bars full. This is a recipe for disaster.
Be smart. Wear your masks. Stay home. This is far from over.
