Are Detroit bars, restaurants following COVID-19 rules or will they be shut down again?

Police, health inspectors visit Detroit bars, restaurants, clubs

DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was clear that if bars and restaurants in the city didn’t follow coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations, the city would take them to court to shut them down.

Detroit is desperate to avoid an outbreak like the one from Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in East Lansing. Harper’s was packed after regulations were lifted, and there are now at least 85 coronavirus cases linked to the bar.

City officials are very concerned that some Detroit bars, restaurants and clubs aren’t following safety guidelines. Police and health inspectors visited those places over the weekend.

What started out as a few visits turned into many. What health officials discovered was that not all business owners understood the rules of capacity, masks and social distancing.

Denise Fair, the city’s chief public health officer, said there were a few who found the rules difficult to interpret, so officials walked them through the regulations.

You can watch Shawn Ley’s full story in the video posted above.


About the Authors:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.