Florida bans alcohol consumption at bars as COVID-19 cases increase

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation banned alcohol consumption at bars on Friday following the daily record number of COVID-19 cases reaching 8,942. According to abc news, this record is almost double the previous record set just two days prior. 

Florida now has 122,960 confirmed cases and 3,366 related deaths as of June 26, according to the Florida Department of Health. 

Phase 2 which began on June 5, permitted bars to reopen under the same rules as restaurants, with the additional restriction of no barstools. However, the state suspended the license of an Orlando bar near the University of Central Florida earlier this week after at least 13 employees and 28 guests tested positive. Florida health officials noted that the bar may have been linked to 150 new COVID-19 cases. 

Gov. DeSantis said during a news conference in Orlando that Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears, which he referred to as “the grim reaper for business licenses,” will be cracking down on businesses that violate the new order. 

According to the Florida Department of Health, the ban applies to “all vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages who derive more than 50% of gross revenue from such sales.” The order permits that those vendors may still sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for off-site consumption.

Additionally the order states that restaurants or other businesses that don’t make more than 50% of their revenue from alcohol sales are still permitted to sell alcohol for on-site consumption.