Meridian orders ‘social distancing’ at restaurants to slow spread of coronavirus
Meridian Mayor Robert Simison on Friday ordered all restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues to ensure a minimum distance of 6 feet between groups of customers in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.
The social distancing order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 21, and last for 15 days until Saturday, April 4.
Simison also said businesses unable to comply must close. Businesses not in compliance would be charged with a misdemeanor, he said.
“This is a measured first step in our community,” Simison said at the conference. “It’s probably not the last step we’ll need to take as a community.”
Simison’s emergency order doesn’t go as far as Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s, who ordered restaurants and bars to close their dining rooms for 30 days starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday. Restaurants can still offer pick-up, drive-thru and delivery options under McLean’s order.
“The decision about where you go and where your family go needs to be made by each of you individually,” Simison said. “If you have a business, it is your social responsibility to ensure to the health and safety of your patrons.”
The two cities’ announcements follow Gov. Brad Little’s Wednesday announcement that he would not order businesses or restaurants to shut down. Dozens of restaurant owners, mostly from Boise, have attached their names to a letter demanding that Little shut down their industry for 30 days and give restaurant workers emergency unemployment payments.
Cities in Canyon County — which on Friday reported its first positive case of coronavirus — have not yet taken similar measures.
Meridian’s decision to enforce social distancing is based on guidelines set forth by the CDC and Central District Health, Simison said.
Affected businesses will include not only bars and restaurants, but also food courts and gyms. Grocery stores and food banks are exempt from the order.
Several Treasure Valley restaurants have already begun to offer pick-up or delivery options in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
“It’s not easy for me to make this order,” Simison said. He said the city will continue to evaluate whether or not the city needs to end the order early, or extend it to 30 days.
Simison said he appreciated businesses that have already taken steps to protect their customers and employees.
Joe Christopherson, said he made the decision to close the bar he owns on Fairview Avenue, Breakaway Cafe and Spirits, after many of his customers continued to come in, unconcerned about social distancing.
“There are people who feel that what’s going on right now is not that big of a deal,” Christopherson said. “Some people feel it’s political. But it’s not political, we can see from the numbers from the CDC that it is spreading. I needed to do my part by just shutting down my business.”
Josh Evarts, owner of The Vault, a cigar lounge in downtown Meridian, said he had also decided to close his business temporarily in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
“I didn’t feel good about putting my employees and their families at risk,” he said. “It’s important we assess those things and make the right call on behalf of the greater community.”
Simison said he appreciated leadership from Christopherson, Evarts and other local business owners.
“Businesses have been leading the way in this,” Simison said.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 1:56 PM.
