Gainesville City Commission moves forward on emergency order on bar and restaurant restrictions
The order will mirror a recent Tampa Bay mask mandate
Denise Garcia and Jeffery Davis wear face masks in downtown Gainesville.
Photo by Hannah Phillips |
The Independent Florida Alligator
Gainesville city commissioners voted to draft an emergency order Thursday evening to tighten mask requirements in bars and clubs.
The order, which passed 4-3, comes after a monthlong debate about a possible shutdown in the city and county commissions as students returned to UF campus. While the emergency order passed, the policy itself is still under development.
There were 105 new COVID-19 cases in Alachua County Friday, according to the Florida Department of Health. As of Sunday night, there are 106 patients hospitalized in the county – a significant drop from the past few weeks, but people between 15-24 currently have the highest infection rate in the county.