WEST MICHIGAN — Restaurants and bars across West Michigan are re-opening dine-in service today.
They must operate at 50% capacity.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer temporarily closed restaurants and bars on March 16 to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Takeout and delivery were allowed under the closure.
Whitmer authorized the businesses to re-open when she rescinded her stay-at-home order on June 1.
"While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing," Whitmer said then.
Her office also said at the time that Michiganders "must continue to wear facial coverings when in enclosed public spaces."
Re-opened restaurants and bars are required to follow these guidelines from the state, according to the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association:
• Limit capacity to 50%
• Keep groups at least six feet from one another
• Require servers to wear face coverings
• Follow rigorous disinfection protocols
• Provide COVID-19 training to workers that covers, at a minimum, workplace infection-control practices
• Provide employees with the proper use of PPE
• Provide steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19
• Provide information on how to report unsafe working conditions
Read the full executive order re-opening restaurants and bars.