ADA COUNTY, Idaho — They may not have been able to reopen in time for the long weekend, but bars in Ada County are likely to get the news they've been waiting for since late June: the green light to reopen to the public.
However, Central District Health said this won't be like the last time bars were allowed to reopen back in early June. This time, the protocols to reopen are strict and serious, thanks to a new amended order by Central District Health.
"They are going to do a lot more than they, before, thought they needed to do in order for them to get back to operation," Brandon Atkins with Central District Health (CDH) said.
In addition to new guidelines, there's another catch: their reopening dates are tied into when Ada County schools are moved from the red category to the yellow. Those categories are based on the COVID-19 transmission level in the community.
"We have to be able to get down within a level that is operational where we feel like it's not going to be as easily spread, it's not as widespread in our communities and as long as we're practicing appropriate measures were going to be able to get back to some of those activities and have reduced risk of transmission," Atkins explained.
CDH added that could come as soon as Tuesday but before their doors can open, several things need to happen.
"Hand hygiene, face coverings, social distancing are of course major components of it but on top of that, looking at ways you can appropriately gauge how many people you are restricting, what the flow of those people coming in looks like what the interaction between employees and staff with the patrons looks like," Atkins said.
Another responsibility for bars is to have a comprehensive protocol in place in case there is a COVID-19 cluster traced back to a bar.
"How you are keeping track of who is operating within your business? Some of those contact measures I think are really important," he said. "You need to know if something were to happen that you take some ownership of that because within that business you should be operating in a way that is the safest possible environment for your staff and for your patrons to be in."
Atkins said he understands that closing bars put business owners in a very difficult spot, but keeping customers and employees safe is the ultimate goal.
Bars will be fully expected to comply with the outlined protocols.
"They are going to have not only the guidance posted and making sure they are reinforcing it, but they will also not allow people to come in and they will reinforce that," Atkins said. "If patrons aren't willing to adhere to that, they will not be allowed to stay in those establishments, which needs to be what everybody does for us to help reduce this risk."
CDH said they will be working in close coordination with bars to develop a COVID-19 plan which will have to be approved before bars can reopen.
"We are going to work together, everyone is going to be working together as strongly as we can to make sure we are doing everything appropriately to help keep our business owners operational, but also to help us keep some sense of normalcy, what we haven't had," Atkins said.
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