No cheers: New COVID-19 outbreak deals another blow to hospitality industry

A troubling new outbreak of COVID-19 in the metro St. John's area means another setback for the battered hospitality industry, but business leaders say they're ready to do their part to help contain the virus.

"There's far-reaching impacts of the decision, but always for the right reasons," said Don-E Coady, spokesperson for the George Street Association, which represents 21 bars and restaurants in downtown St. John's.

Brenda O'Reilly, who chairsHospitality Newfoundland and Labrador's board of directors, agrees.

"Right now I implore all businesses in tourism and hospitality to look to the protocols that the public health has put out there and to adhere to them and to enforce them to help get COVID-19 under control," she said.

Coady and O'Reilly were responding to an expanded special measures order imposed Tuesday afternoon asDr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province's chief medical officer of health, announced a spike in cases, likely associated with a cluster that involves a high school in Mount Pearl.

30 new cases in a single day

The order required bars in the St. John's region to close their doors at midnight Tuesday, for at least two weeks, and for restaurants to reduce their capacity to 50 per cent.

Establishments that serve food and alcohol can remain open.

The expanded measures are in response to 30 new cases reported Tuesday, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 57. N.L. reported 11 cases on Monday.

Tuesday's numbers represented the second-highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic, surpassed only by the 32 cases announced March 25 during the province's first wave.

• COVID-19 count soars to 30 in N.L., as Fitzgerald orders 'circuit breaker' for St. John's region

Fitzgerald confirmed there is now community transmission in the area, and she expects more cases to be discovered in the coming days.

In an attempt to contain the outbreak, Fitzgerald announced a series of measures she described as a "circuit breaker."

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For example, gatherings may not exceed20 people, all group activities are suspended, and gyms and recreational facilitiesmustclose. Retail stores and malls can remain open, as well as personal service and animal grooming businesses.

After months of very low numbers of the virus, the situation has rapidly changed, and the level of anxiety and fear that was so common during the early days of the pandemichas returned for many.

For the hospitality industry, it's another setback for a sector that has been struggling through unprecedented problems.

If there's any upside for bars and restaurants, it's that the new measures come at a time when business is already lean because it's mid-winter, and many people were already staying away because of fear of the virus.

"It's sad to see any part of our sector close, but two weeks? Better the middle of February than the middle of July," said O'Reilly.

"All we want is to make sure that what has been happening can even out [and] for this to go away so everyone is front row centre to participate in every way possible to help make that happen," added Coady.

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