This article was first published in the afternoon of Thursday, January 14, 2021. Five Berks County restaurants were ordered by the state last week to shut down for violating COVID-19 restrictions. Four of the five were previously ordered to close for defying a temporary statewide ban on indoor dining. The five were on a list of 24 restaurants across the state ordered to close for violating COVID-19 restrictions that was issued by the state Department of Agriculture this week. The department has been issuing such lists each week. - Advertisement - The closure orders are based on inspections done by the department, most of which are initiated by complaints from the public.