Last Call: Florida and Texas Shut Down Bars Again As Coronavirus Cases Spike

Sarah RumpfJun 26th, 2020, 2:37 pm
 
bartender with face mask

Mark Felix /AFP/Getty Images

“It’s five o’clock somewhere,” as Jimmy Buffett famously sings, but you won’t be able get any margaritas in Florida or Texas bars at five or any other time for awhile. Governors in both states just ordered bars to immediately cease operations as coronavirus cases in their states have spiked this week.

Both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had ordered bars and restaurants closed back in March as the pandemic spread, but recently allowed them to reopen with reduced capacities, sanitation requirements, and other restrictions on their operations. Photos and videos of happy revelers crowding into bars have received a lot of attention and scrutiny, especially as cases surged upwards again.

Just in Florida, a staggering 9,000 new cases were reported on Thursday, with numbers skyrocketing among the younger population — the exact group seen congregating at the bars. That same day, Texas reported nearly 6,000 cases and nearly 5,000 hospitalizations.

Halsey Beshears, Florida’s Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, posted the sobering news on Twitter Friday, issuing an Emergency Order suspending the sale of alcohol in bars statewide.

As Beshears noted, Florida law differentiates between bars, defined as those that “derive more than 50% of gross revenue from sales of alcoholic beverages,” and restaurants, which sell enough food to pass that 50% threshold. The Friday order only bans alcohol sales in bars, not restaurants. DBPR, the agency that Beshears heads, is responsible for regulating alcohol licenses and thus has the authority to issue this Emergency Order.

Likewise, over in Texas, Abbott issued an order shutting down the bars again and reducing restaurant capacity back to 50%. Bars had been allowed to operate at 50% capacity, and restaurants at 75%.

“At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,” said Abbott said in a press release. “The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health.”

Abbott’s order mandates that bars close at noon Friday, and the restaurant restrictions go into effect on Monday. He also banned outdoor gatherings over 100 people, and, in an effort to reserve hospital space for coronavirus patients, elective surgeries in four of the state’s largest counties.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.