There seems to be some confusion about the face covering order for Cape Girardeau County and how it pertains to bars and restaurants.
The order from the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center went into effect on Monday, July 13th. There was no termination date in the order but recently it was revised to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Health Center board at the end of this month.
I’ve heard from many people they don’t understand how this applies to restaurants and bars. Because your continued support of these local businesses is important, I wanted to point out what the order says about these establishments and how it applies.
The order clearly states persons who are at a place of business or public space who are consuming food or drink while adequately distanced from other patrons and staffs are not required to wear a face covering while doing so. In reality, that means when you visit one of these establishments, you should wear a mask in and until you are seated. While you are at a table, properly distanced from others, you can remove your mask while you are eating and drinking. It should be noted staff in these establishments should be wearing masks and they are constantly interacting with the patrons or making the food and beverages.
Continuing to support our local businesses is extremely important. And most experts agree properly wearing face coverings limits exposure and slows the spread.
