Hattiesburg restaurants can begin outside service at 8 a.m. Thursday, Mayor Toby Barker announced Monday during his weekday coronavirus update on the city’s Facebook page.
Barker said the move to relax dining regulations came after local data from weekend COVID-19 cases showed a decline.
During his briefing Barker said the city had adopted a recovery goal. The main goals have been to protect vulnerable citizens and to keep local healthcare facilities within safe quantities.
“We must prioritize public health,” he said, “while giving the private sector space to operate creatively.”
Barker’s order includes the following stipulations:
- Must limit customers to 50 percent of outdoor seating capacity
- Must close by 10 p.m.
- Must meet all social-distancing minimums, cleaning/sanitation standards and employee/customer COVID-screening requirements of Gov. Reeves’ Order 1478
- Bars not serving food shall remain closed
Restaurants that currently do not have outdoor dining spaces may convert parking space to outdoor dining but cannot serve more than 50 percent of indoor capacity. Other guidelines include:
- Must mark off outdoor dining areas clearly and ensure continued traffic flow
- Must not hinder ADA access
- Must meet all social-distancing minimums, cleaning/sanitation standards and employee/customer COVID-screening requirements of Gov. Reeves’ Order 1478
Barker said officials will follow the data to consider later changes.
“We will see how this goes for the next week or so,” he said.