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Coronavirus: Florida bars reopening at 50% capacity amid COVID-19

Florida bars will reopen Monday and be allowed to operate at 50% capacity, state officials said.

Halsey Beshears, Florida’s Secretary of Department of Business & Professional Regulation, announced Thursday that an amendment to a June 26 executive order will be lifted Monday. The executive order banned the sale of alcohol at bars in the state in the midst of increasing numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19.

Floridians have still been able to purchase alcohol via to-go orders.

According to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, 7,843 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Florida on June 26. The state reached its peak on July 12, with 12,761 cases reported in a single day. The most recent data shows cases trending downward in the state, with 2,154 new cases reported Wednesday.

“In meetings with hundreds of owners of bars and breweries across the state, I’ve heard their stories of struggle, and I’ve observed their serious commitment to making health and safety a continuing priority in their businesses,” Beshears said. “It’s time that we take this step, and it’s vital that we start moving forward with this sector of our hospitality industry who have endured one of the toughest paths for sustaining a business during this pandemic.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 647,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in Florida. Only California and Texas have reported more cases in the U.S. More than 12,000 Floridians have died due to COVID-19 complications since the onset of the pandemic.