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City council extends Columbia restrictions on bars, restaurants

Local bar and restaurant restrictions will continue.

The Columbia City Council on Monday night voted to extend the current coronavirus health order until Oct. 20. Bars and restaurants have to close at 10:30pm.

Health Director Stephanie Browning says COVID-19 trends in Boone County are encouraging, but she points to the restrictions as a reason for that.

“I’d like to extend this [order] one more incubation period to allow us to make sure that the local resources are adequate, and that we can meet any increased need that might occur when restrictions begin to ease back up.”

Browning says her department finds coronavirus spikes are tied to customers and employees at bars and restaurants.

“We know that there are gatherings and circumstances where people are more likely to have super-spreading events, right? When we’re gathering a group of people together, and especially as the night goes on, and alcohol is often involved, people tend to lose some of those inhibitions.”

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