DELAWARE – Bars in Delaware’s beach towns will have to close indefinitely on Friday, July 3rd, due to a rise in coronavirus cases.
Governor John Carney made the announcement in a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, saying there has been a resurgence of cases in the area. It’s important to note that as part of this order, taprooms, brewpubs and restaurants may not permit customers to sit or stand at a bar, but they may open the bar to prepare drinks to be brought to diners seated at tables. The towns impacted are as follows: Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Long Neck, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, West Fenwick Island, Ocean View, and Millville. That includes/adds the following zip codes: 19944, 19967, 19970, 19930, 19971, 19958.
Governor Carney added that the state has seen a shift in people testing positive for the virus, saying that more 18-25 year-olds are testing positive. This, he said, is evidence of outbreaks happening at bars, restaurants, and social gatherings.
The governor added that the state will not move into Phase 3 of reopening. That, he said, will last indefinitely.
While the state is seeing a cluster of cases in the resort towns, Governor Carney said the state is seeing a decline in hospitalizations. He said the state is also not experiencing any challenges when it comes to personal protective equipment.
