RI Bars Get Left Back In Phase 3 Of Reopening

PROVIDENCE, RI — Traditional RI bars are getting left behind as the state moves into phase 3 of its coronavirus economic reopening on Tuesday.

Gov. Gina Raimondo said during her Monday news conference announcing the phase 3 forward march that, while bars will be able operate as they have been in recent weeks, they will have to maintain their phase 2 rules of only serving customers at stable tables, not offering service at the bar itself and not allowing mingling in close quarters.

Raimondo said she made the decision after the determination that younger people going to bars, and not exhibiting social distancing, mask-wearing and other precautionary measures, were contributing to coronavirus surges in different states, including Florida and Texas.

"It seems clear from all over the country that, unfortunately, bars have been a hot spot — a place of contagion," Raimondo said, "for all the reasons we know. You tend to congregate, a lot of young people, not a lot of (social distance) compliance, not a lot of mask-wearing. So you're seeing the virus spread."

She said bars were a "hot topic" during a governors' call with the White House Task Force on Monday that included Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

"For bars, phase 3 is going to look the same as phase 2," Raimondo said. "Truthfully, if I decided to relax (rules on bars) that it is almost certain that we'd be doing what almost every other state is doing, and three weeks from now going back. Instead of having that setback, and risking an outbreak, I am going to keep it right where it is, for now."

Phase 3 is expected to last through July before Raimondo said further easing on social gatherings, and other restrictions, might be able to take place based on the scientific data at the time.

"For a bar, they can operate, they can open, they can sell drinks," Raimondo said. "But it has to be according to the phase 2 rules."

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