New Shelby County health directive loosens restrictions on restaurant capacity, hours, bar seating

A new Shelby County health directive will further loosen restrictions on restaurants. It eliminates virus-related capacity restrictions, extends permissible operating hours to midnight and allows some patrons to sit at bars.

The permissible hours will extend to 12:30 a.m. if patrons are still eating, Dr. Bruce Randolph, the county health officer, told Shelby County commissioners in an online meeting on Wednesday.

The new health directive — the 18th of the pandemic — goes into effect Saturday. The text of the document specifies the time it goes into effect: 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, or rather just after the stroke of midnight from Friday night into Saturday morning.

Other elements of the new health directive include allowing indoor smoking and vaping in those businesses where it's normally allowed, Randolph said.

The new health directive also includes updated guidance on mask-wearing. It encourages the use of multiple-layer masks and says they should be tight-fitting, Randolph said. Double masking is also permissible, he said.

The text of the document reflects new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control on the most effective masks. 

The loosening of the restrictions comes as COVID-19 case counts are dropping in Shelby County and across the United States. Vaccination efforts are ongoing and other factors may likewise be contributing to the case count drops.

Restaurant capacity rules eliminated - but spacing still required

The new rules eliminate capacity restrictions for dine-in services, the health department said.

However, the rules require that for all indoor or outdoor dining, "seating must be separated six feet apart and arranged so that each person seated at one table must be separated six feet from other persons seated at another table." 

Bar rules

The new rules also establish rules for bars. The rules say, "customers may be seated and served food and beverages at a bar as long as there is fixed seating for groups of no more than two people and each set of two seats is separated by six feet (and separated from any other tables by six feet as well)."

The rules continue: "Any customer at a bar must be seated and must continue to wear a mask unless seated and dining (i.e., actively eating/drinking)."

"Additionally, any server/bartender assisting customers at the bar must wear a mask and a face shield at all times."

"Standing, gathering, or ordering at a bar is not allowed. Dancing is not permitted indoors." 

National Guard resolution advances

Also Wednesday, the Shelby County Commission voted 10-0 in committee in favor of a resolution calling for the Tennessee National Guard to oversee the administration of vaccinations in Shelby County "with the assistance of Memphis-area logistics professionals." The resolution won't be final until the full commission votes. 

And the commission voted in committee to loosen rules to make it easier for the health department to hire nurses who don't live in Shelby County. That last item will take three votes in full commission to pass. 

Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.