Reopening Rollback: Indoor Dining In Miami-Dade To Shutdown At Midnight
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – You have until midnight tonight to enjoy indoor restaurant dining in Miami-Dade County. At 12:01 a.m. Thursday, all indoor dining service will be shut down in an effort to slow the rise in positive COVID-19 cases.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez signed the Executive Order Tuesday night which also closes banquet halls and ballrooms.
The order was originally going to close gyms and fitness centers as well but Gimenez backtracked on Tuesday saying they can remain open as long as masks or facial coverings are worn when inside and people are spaced 10 feet apart.
Restaurant service is limited to outdoor service between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily with no more than four people at a table and low music to prevent shouting. Delivery and take out services will continue.
CBS4 asked Mayor Gimenez how long the new restrictions would last for Miami-Dade restaurants. He initially said until the rate of those testing positive for the coronavirus drops to 5 percent in the county, down from its current 20 percent. Later, on Twitter he said he misspoke and it would be when we drop to 10 percent, based on World Health Organization guidelines.
Short-term vacation rentals are now set at a maximum of two people per bedroom plus two additional people per property and cannot exceed 10 people total. New rental agreements can only be on a monthly basis.
Miami-Dade beaches will stay open for now but if social distancing is not practiced, Gimenez said he will have no choice but to close them again.
Various outdoor activities will remain open including condominium and hotel pools with strict social distancing and mask rules, as well as summer camps and child daycare centers with strict capacity limits, requiring masks and social distancing of at least 6 feet.
Office buildings, retail stores and grooming services will also stay open for now.
The 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Countywide curfew will remain in force with exceptions for essential workers and for people who have a religious obligation.
