Bars and restaurants are being shut down for dine-in service in Dallas and Houston for at least the next week amid the coronavirus pandemic, the cities’ mayors announced Monday afternoon.
In Houston, the new rules go into effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday and will last for at least 15 days. The Dallas shut down starts before midnight Monday and will last at least a week.
Recommended Videos
The move comes after a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday to cease all gatherings of 50 or more people in the coming eight weeks.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson ordered the closing of all Dallas bars, lounges, taverns, nightclubs, gyms and health clubs, theaters, music venues, and entertainment establishments such as arcades and billiard halls.
Restaurants in both Dallas and Harris County for now may remain open for drive-through, takeout and delivery, but dine-in service will be prohibited.
The Dallas emergency regulations, which also included prohibiting community gatherings of more than 50 people, will go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Johnson said.
Asked if Dallas is considering a curfew, Johnson said city officials are not actively looking at implementing one right now, but "can’t say that any tool is not on the table."
On Monday morning, the nation’s largest cities — including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — announced similar measures.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
KSAT CORONAVIRUS CONTINUING COVERAGE:
· USAA employee in San Antonio tests positive for coronavirus, company official says
· San Antonio officials investigating third travel-related case of COVID-19
· H-E-B stores offer free, next-day curbside ordering to promote social distancing for COVID-19
· San Antonio school districts providing free, curbside meal service for students during closure
· These events have been canceled, postponed, modified around San Antonio area over coronavirus
· Track live coronavirus updates with real-time map of confirmed cases, deaths
· The ultimate coronavirus guide: From preparedness and prevention to testing and treatment
· SAQ: Your questions answered about the coronavirus
· Texas Gov. Abbott declares statewide emergency over coronavirus pandemic
· What we know: San Antonio tourism hotspots impacted by the coronavirus