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San Diego County ordered all bars, wineries and breweries that do not serve food to close by the end of the month, officials announced Monday.

“We will be closing all bars, wineries and breweries in San Diego County that do not have a license to serve food,” Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said.

The order goes into effect at midnight on July 1, Fletcher said. All additional reopenings will be paused until at least August 1, when county officials will reevaluate guidance for San Diego.

“It’s a simple reality that alcohol consumption impairs judgment and may lead to less compliance with physical distancing guidelines. People often spend more time in a bar than other establishments, like a restaurant for eating. Loud bars and loud settings require loud conversations and yelling which spreads droplets more efficiently and more effectively than you would see in other settings. And then people who do not know each other often congregate in bars, making it difficult to engage in throughout contact tracing about who may have been exposed,” Fletcher said.

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Stanislaus County leaders didn’t take any steps Monday to follow through with a state recommendation Sunday to close bars as a way to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Top state officials didn’t do anything Monday to make the order mandatory in this county. And no one was sure what effect bar closures would have on tamping down the rate of new infections here.

County officials discussed the possible action and other topics at a meeting Monday but decided to wait.

“We are seeking clarification from the state on what discretion, if any, we have as a local community to make this decision,” Jody Hayes, chief executive officer, said in an email to The Modesto Bee.

Continue Reading on The Modesto Bee