Effective Monday at 12:01 AM. THANK YOU to the Shelby County Health Department for no longer using midnight as the effective minute, making it unclear which day was meant. I have the sneaking suspicion someone on the task force reads this blog.
For restaurants, this is not nearly as bad as it could have been. Changes from Health Directive No. 14:
- Closing time is moved back to 10 PM
- Capacity is reduced to 50%; of course, with social distancing, most restaurants were near 50% already
- Groups at the same table are limited to a maximum of 6 (4 adults) who must all be from the same household
- Smoking indoors at any establishment is prohibited
No distinction is made between full-service and limited-service restaurants.
It sounds like my friends in the industry have largely dodged a bullet. This is nowhere as bad as it could have been. The bureaucrats found a way to say they did something (which is the reason their jobs exist) without inflicting severe economic harm to an entire industry.
The gyms dodged a bullet too. I thought they were looking at certain closure.
I made one additional comment above but then deleted it because I think someone on the task force reads my blog. Ask me in person about it if you see me.
Back in the morning with more news.