Coast cities order bars, restaurant dining rooms closed as MSDH issues warning
The Mississippi State Department of Health on Friday evening recommended all restaurant and bars suspend dine-in service to help slow the spread of COVID-19, effective immediately.
Coast cities are following that recommendation, and many held emergency meetings to issue new city resolutions.
Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, D’Iberville, Hancock County, Jackson County and Moss Point have closed bars and restaurants except to allow take-out and delivery food orders, starting at midnight Friday.
Gulfport also is closing all city buildings to the public, no gatherings of 10 or more people are allowed on city property.
“We cannot overstress the seriousness of the situation,” Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes said in a press release. “Based upon trends around the country, matters are likely to get worse, before they get better.
“If we do not act NOW, it will become grave. All one has to do is look at the experience of Italy.”
Italy on Friday asked the military to help enforce its national lockdown. The country had 627 deaths in 24 hours, the most single-day deaths anywhere in the world from COVID-19. Hospitals there are overwhelmed with patients and there are not enough ventilators.
The United States has asked Americans to practice social distancing to prevent spread of the disease, but many are ignoring that advice on the Coast.
“Unfortunately there are some in the community who have irresponsibly ignored these recommendations,” Hewes said. “People continuing to congregate in the public and at places of business have only served to penalize those observing the new protocols — and worse, have created an environment where this contagion can easily spread.”
In a special-called remote meeting of the City of D’Iberville on Friday night, the council and mayor voted unanimously to approve a resolution closing dining rooms starting at 11:59 p.m.
The exact wording of the resolution was not finalized, but councilmembers said it applies to any “any eat-in or drink-in establishments.”
“This is Friday night, we’re gonna have people at our bars,” said city attorney Dub Hornsby. “They’re just not taking this as seriously as they should,” so the city needs to step in, he said.
The prohibition on D’Iberville’s in-restaurant dining is for two weeks, until April 6.
Restaurants may still offer carryout or delivery orders to their customers, the health department recommended.
“This will in no way affect gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores or food marts,” said State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs in a press release.
The D’Iberville resolution also will say all businesses must abide by the 6-foot rule and allow no more than 10 people in a given area, with grocery stores and medical facilities excluded.
The city is also forbidding any event, indoor or outdoor, of over 10 people.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 7:23 PM.
