Nearly half of 167 bars and restaurants were found out of compliance with COVID-19 safety requirements during recent spot visits by compliance teams, but Minnesota health leaders said most violations were minor and commended the industry for its efforts amid a financially crippling pandemic.
The findings reported Wednesday were the result of stepped-up enforcement efforts due to the number of COVID-19 outbreaks traced back to infections in bars and restaurants, as well as in large gatherings and group events.
Fifty bars and restaurants have been identified as having COVID-19 outbreaks — with the Minnesota Department of Health publicly identifying any that were the likely source of clusters of at least seven infections.
“We know the past six months have been tough for Minnesota’s bars and restaurants and we also know that if proper precautions are not followed in these settings, the result can be accelerated spread of COVID-19 in the community,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “These enforcement efforts are aimed at ensuring that the minority of businesses that are not following the guidelines bring their establishments into compliance.”
Minnesota has reported a total of 1,869 COVID-19 deaths and 81,868 lab-confirmed infections with the novel coronavirus that causes the infectious disease.
While there are are some signs of optimism in the pandemic — including a decline over the past month to 263 Minnesotans hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday — health officials are worried about a rising positivity rate of diagnostic tests and potential outbreaks centered around the Labor Day weekend and the resumption of K-12 and college classes.
More than one third of confirmed infections are from unknown community transmissions, meaning the virus is spreading beyond the state’s ability to track it.
Wednesday’s bar and restaurant findings were based on checkup visits on Aug. 28 and 29 to establishments in Mankato, St. Peter, Waseca, Faribault, and New Ulm, and on Sept. 4 and 5 to establishments in Carver and Scott counties.
Among the 79 establishments with at least minor issues, 31 were referred for follow-up inspections due to problems such as staff or customers not wearing masks indoors, or tables not being spaced out to allow for adequate social distancing.
After a 51-day statewide lockdown this spring, bars and restaurants were allowed to open for outdoor service in early June before being allowed a week later to open indoor spaces at 50% of their fire code capacities with caps of no more than 250 people.
State contact tracing investigations soon tied infections with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 back to specific bars and restaurants, starting in Mankato and Minneapolis. The City of Minneapolis responded with the closure of bar areas in establishments, though it scaled back the order to allow for the use of bars for ordering, and for table seating of no more than four unrelated or six related people.
The health department on Wednesday said it had received more than 800 complaints of COVID-19 safety violations at restaurants and bars. State leaders said restrictions are preferable to more draconian closures of bars and restaurants, and that enforcement is necessary to protect those establishments that have invested in ways to follow the rules.
“Requiring the right actions of everyone will help ensure a level playing field for businesses and will help keep bars and restaurants open in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington.
Gov. Tim Walz said last week that Minnesota is in the top third among states in the level of public activity and business openings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor on Wednesday announced his intention to extend Minnesota’s peacetime emergency declaration by another month, giving him sweeping powers to respond and issue restrictions if the virus spreads and the pandemic worsens in the state.