At least five bars on the island of Montreal have reported customers or employees were carrying the coronavirus, health officials said.
montrealgazette.com
Dr. David Kaiser, a Montreal public health official, is concerned about the transmission of COVID-19 in bars and is recommending patrons get tested for the virus.
“There are at least five bars in Montreal which have reported cases of COVID-19 among patrons or staff and we’ve identified eight people who have been infected,” Kaiser said. “We know there are probably more cases out and we want to get out in front of this before we find ourselves dealing with a second wave.”
Kaiser said bars pose more problems than restaurants. He noted the layout of most bars allows for mingling and people might be less likely to follow the rules on social distancing after a few drinks.
The city has the power to intervene if there are continuing problems with an individual bar, but Kaiser said if there was a wide-scale problem in the industry, the city would have to take its concerns to the province for action.
The coronavirus prowls and waits for its prey, and there it's full.