Travis County bar customers eager to get back to their favorite shuttered watering holes on Sixth Street and beyond are looking to see if a ruling on reopening Austin bars will come from county officials on Tuesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott last week announced that bars could once again open at 50% capacity starting Wednesday in areas with low hospitalization rates related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Abbott further clarified that bars could only open within counties where coronavirus patients make up 15% or less of hospital capacity.
In the Austin area, COVID-19 patients last week took up 2.9% of available beds.
Abbott said it will be up to each county’s judge to approve the reopening or to modify the orders if necessary.
It’s now solely up to interim County Judge Sam Biscoe to decide how the Austin area will proceed.
Biscoe will likely discuss the decision with Dr. Mark Escott, the interim Austin-Travis County health authority, during the weekly commissioners court meeting Tuesday morning.
However, the American-Statesman as of Tuesday morning could not confirm whether Biscoe planned to make a final decision on bar openings. As of Monday afternoon the county judge was still undecided, according to a Travis County spokesperson.
Abbott first ordered bars in the state to close on June 26 as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations from the disease rose across Texas.
Austin bar owners for months publicly expressed fears they would not survive during the pandemic. In response to pleas from bar owners, Abbott did allow for some bars to reclassify as restaurants and reopen.
However, bars that could not meet the requirements of serving food full-time remained shuttered.
Escott said last week that the seven-day average number of new hospital admissions for COVID-19 had decreased in the past several weeks, but it needed to drop below 10 before he would recommend the county relax restrictions any further. On Monday, the seven-day average was 14.6, the highest it’s been all month.
However, Austin area residents are now eager to see local bars open following Abbott’s order.
Officials in Williamson and Comal counties on Monday announced they would reopen bars. Hays County officials made a similar announcement last week.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra gave the green light last Friday. But recommendations handed down to bar owners include using outdoor seating, removing 50% of tables and all bar stools, and having musical acts outside. Based on guidance from the Texas Department of State Health Services, bars will have to close by 11 p.m. for the foreseeable future.
Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said that “residents have shown that they can follow guidelines established to stop the spread of COVID-19 and get back to business.”
Williamson County customers at bars or similar establishments may eat or drink only while seated with certain exceptions. Patrons will be allowed to stand and sample beverages in breweries, distillers or wineries but must limit their group to six people or fewer. There also must be 6 feet of distance between groups.
The 50% occupancy limit would not apply to outdoor areas, events or establishments, although social distancing must be followed, county officials said.
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