DC Orders Coronavirus Curbs: Gyms, Theaters Shut, Takeout Only at Restaurants 

masks in a gym
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Edwin Mora

Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday ordered the shutdown of all movie theaters and gyms and is requiring that restaurants and bars cease in-store services in a bid to hinder the spread of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. capital.

“Health clubs, spas, massage parlors, and other large businesses also need to close,” WTOP reported, citing the D.C. Health Department.

“Bars will be allowed to serve on a grab-and-go-only basis,” it added.

Mayor Bowser announced the new measures to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration urged Americans to keep social gatherings at less than ten people and avoid going to restaurants and bars.

“There is, of course, a lot more that we need to learn about COVID-19, but one thing we do know is that social distancing can mitigate the spread of the virus,” Bowser declared while briefing reporters Monday, according to the Associated Press (AP).” At the moment, social distancing is our main tool.”

“You may not dine in or visit the bar at those establishments,” she added, the Washington Post reported.

The new restrictions came into effect at 10:00 p.m. Monday.

Citing Bowser, AP explained:

All restaurants and bars will be able to offer carry-out to customers or to food delivery services, but all dining or drinking in the establishments is prohibited, starting at 10 p.m. Monday.

The order represents one of the final available steps for Bowser’s government, short of simply closing all restaurants and bars. It also reflects the sheer speed with which public alarm over the virus has taken over daily life in America.

Bowser warned against ignoring the new rules and urged residents to report any violators.

“As mayor, I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how I can shut down a business or order a fine,” she proclaimed, “But I’ll do it.”

It is unclear how long the new restrictions will be in place in D.C. President Trump said the coronavirus crises may last until July or August.

On Monday, Bowser intensified the coronavirus restrictions on bars and restaurants she had announced hours earlier, indicating that the disease is rapidly spreading.

AP noted:

Less than a week ago — on March 11, when Bowser declared a state of emergency — her government was recommending that all public gatherings of more than 1,000 people be postponed.

Within days [on Sunday], that maximum number had been revised down to 250 people, and restaurants were told to function normally but to ban should-to-shoulder bar seating and not to use any attached banquet rooms. Now the government has concluded that just about any size of public gathering is too large.

The mayor of the U.S. capital said she is placing local National Guard Units on standby, stressing that she is not actively deploying them.

Bowser indicated that she envisions National Guard troops playing a role in preparing sites to carry out testing en masse in the future.

There were 22 coronavirus cases in D.C. as of Monday, including five new ones. The figure does not include cases from the greater D.C. area — northern Virginia and southern Maryland. Coronavirus may have infected some people who work in D.C., but live right outside the capital.

“Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) … has also ordered the closure of bars, restaurants, and gyms in the state, with similar provisions for carry-out and delivery services. Maryland’s casinos have also shuttered by order of the governor,” the Hill noted.

Although Virginia has recorded its second coronavirus-related death, the state’s governor, Ralph Northam, stands against closing businesses, including restaurants and bars, to contain the deadly virus.

Mayor Bowser’s new directive echoes similar restrictions implemented by officials in other major American cities as health experts warn that the global coronavirus pandemic could worsen in the United States shortly.

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