Broward County Announces Stricter Restaurant Regulations as Coronavirus Cases Surge

Broward County is following Miami-Dade County’s lead with new restrictions on restaurant dining due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

While indoor dining is still allowed in Broward County — unlike Miami-Dade County, which banned it temporarily last week — a new emergency order from mayor Dale Holness stops restaurants from serving food from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. Takeout and delivery are still allowed. The order also limits seating to no more than six people per table, or 10 per table if from the same household. The order was signed into effect on Friday, July 10.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported more than 1,000 complaints from residents about restaurants not following Broward County capacity guidelines and sanitation requirements. Those who violate the new emergency order face a shutdown of 24 hours for the first offense, a 72 hour shut down for the second offense, and up to $15,000 in fines.

Also affected in this new emergency order were short-term vacation rentals, which are now only allowed to be occupied to those who rented the property, with guests not being permitted. Gym, beaches, and pools are allowed to remain open with certain safety and social distancing protocols in place.

Broward County is second in the state for positive COVID-19 cases reporting 1,772 new cases yesterday — a single-day high for the county — and more than 30,000 cases overall since March. Florida continues to be a hotspot in the country, reporting 15,300 daily positive COVID-19 cases yesterday, July 12, the largest single-day positive number of any state in the U.S. since the pandemic began.

• Outdoor Dining is Allowed at Miami-Dade County Restaurants After Mayor Reverses Previous Order [EMIA]
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• After a Surge in Coronavirus Cases, Florida Shuts Down Bars Statewide [EMIA]
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