Restaurants prepare to reopen with new restrictions

Bars and restaurants in Michigan will be allowed reopen for dine-in customers February 1 after the state’s health director signed an order on Friday.

Health Director Robert Gordon resigned shortly after issuing the order.

There will be limits on the newly reopened businesses. Dining establishments will be limited to 25% capacity for the foreseeable future with a hard limit of 100 customers at one time. Bars and restaurants will also have to close by 10pm.

Restaurant owners are relieved to be able to resume business after nearly two months of restrictions that limited them to serving diners outdoors during the cold winter months or serving food to-go only.

In a statement, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the state could reimpose closure orders if COVID numbers go too high again, but she hopes to pare back restrictions in the coming months.

“That’s the goal. That goal is dependent on our ability to keep the spread of the virus down. We have shown we’re capable of it. We’ve shown we know how to do it,” she said.

You can read more on Bridge Michigan.