Miami-Area Restaurants Get Forks Up To Reopen Indoor Dining

MIAMI, FL — Miami-area restaurants have gotten a forks up to reopen indoor dining rooms starting Monday but a curfew intended to curtail outdoor gatherings will stay in place for the time being.

"The good news is today we went below 1,000 people in the hospital for the first time in some time — less people on ventilators, less people obviously in our ICUs," Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Tuesday in announcing the reopening of restaurant dining rooms in Florida's most populous county.

"We must however keep our guard up. This does not mean this is over by a long shot," Gimenez warned.

The mayor said he plans to keep county beaches open during the long Labor Day weekend but he expects the public to do its part.

"While we will keep the beaches open, we will have additional enforcement personnel there to make sure that we do keep our distance," the mayor said. "When you are going to a concession stand, when you are going to the restrooms, you do need to put your mask on."

Reacting to reports that Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernández has directed his police department not to enforce Miami-Dade County restaurant restrictions, Gimenez said he will have his county police enforce the rules.

"If restaurants in Hialeah open up before Monday, they may well find a Miami-Dade County police officer there to give them a fine for violating the county rules," Gimenez said.

The mayor said his order will allow up to six people to sit at each restaurant table but tables must be placed at least six feet away from one another. Indoor dining rooms may not exceed 50 percent capacity.

"We want you to keep your mask on until you have water on the table," Gimenez said. "If you are just sitting there at a table conversing, and you are not eating, and you are not drinking, you should keep your mask on to keep it safe."

Gimenez said restaurant doors and windows must be kept open at all times the restaurant is open while restaurant air conditioners must be kept in the "on" position rather than the "auto" setting, recommendations from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

The announcement drew praise from county mayoral candidate Esteban Bovo, Jr, who is running to succeed Gimenez as mayor.

"Our economy cannot sustain indefinite closure. Businesses have invested greatly in the necessary protocols and procedures to keep their staff and customers alike safe," Bovo said. "Unfortunately, those that have been most impacted have been families most in need. Therefore, we need to be cognizant of that and provide the support to small businesses that desperately need to open in a safe manner."

Gimenez said the White House task force also recommended the county not lift its 10 p.m. curfew just yet.

"We agreed that we wouldn’t do too many things at one time," Gimenez acknowledged. He said he is not likely to reopen bars for some time, but he is considering allowing casinos and banquet halls to reopen.

"The reason for the curfew is to curtail the socializing as much as possible, because when people get together that’s when this virus spreads," Gimenez said.