Hidalgo orders bars to close, restricts restaurants to takeout for 15 days

Goode Co. employee Brenda Hernandez finishes a carry-out transaction on the curbside of the restaurant on Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. Goode Co. employee Brenda Hernandez finishes a carry-out transaction on the curbside of the restaurant on Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 104 Caption Close Hidalgo orders bars to close, restricts restaurants to takeout for 15 days 1 / 104 Back to Gallery

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Monday ordered all bars and clubs in Harris County to close for the next 15 days, a move intended to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

The order, which takes effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday, also limits restaurants to pickup, delivery and drive-through orders. The restrictions apply to venues in Houston and throughout the rest of the county.

News of the mandate was met with dismay by some bar owners.

Tracey McElroy, who owns Pimlico Irish Pub at 810 Waugh Drive with her husband, Kevin, said she feared their business may be unable to recover, though theirs would be resilient. She said the bar was prepared to limit crowds and enforce social distancing, as health officials have recommended.

“It’s gonna kill us,” McElroy said. “St. Patrick’s Day is as essential to us as the vendors with the Rodeo. We work all year for this one day.”

Debra Catlett, the proprietor of Griff’s since 2001, said the Montrose pub already had canceled its St. Patrick’s Day celebration so as not to provoke city officials into closing bars.

“When the CDC came out (with is guidelines), we thought we’d do the responsible thing, and maybe the mayor wouldn’t take this type of action,” Catlett said.

By Monday morning, the three largest cities in the United States — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, had ordered bars, restaurants and other gathering places closed to slow the spread of coronavirus as confirmed cases in the country approached 4,000.

The closures came as the Centers for Disease Control on Sunday recommended that no events with more than 50 people take place over the next eight weeks.

In fourth-most-populous Houston, however, officials Monday morning had said taking that drastic step would be premature. Mary Benton, spokeswoman for Mayor Sylvester Turner, said Sunday the city’s health department was giving guidance to local restaurants and bars about social distancing and large gatherings.

“Until and if the mayor receives a directive from the local health authorities, that’s going to be the status in the City of Houston right now,” Benton said in a statement.

Earlier Monday, Turner had declined to reveal details about the city’s plan regarding bars and restaurants. He said city officials “evaluate the situation every single day” and would meet with county officials to discuss the matter later today, and added that he will “probably have some additional announcements before the day is out.”

The bar closures and restaurant restrictions are "unquestionably going to cause a financial and health calamity for working people," said Hany Khalil, executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation.

He said he agrees with the move because it is based on recommendations from health experts, but called on "all levels of government" to take "swift action" to help affected workers.

"In the bar and restaurant sector, we're talking about low-wage workers, often uninsured, with little savings to weather the health and economic storm," Khalil said. "And we need to make sure that they are provided for. They're not responsible for the situation."

Many in the community questioned the city’s decision to allow the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to operate for 14 days before shuttering the event March 11 after discovering a coronavirus case originated there. Health officials have have linked at least two more cases to the rodeo.

There were 29 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Houston area as of Monday morning. That figure likely represents a fraction of actual cases, health officials say, because of limited testing capabilities.

In addition to the major city actions, the governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Ohio have severely restricted the ability of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues to operate. Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to make any such pronouncements for Texas.

This story will be updated.

zach.despart@chron.com

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