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Central District Health and Boise bar owners discuss measures to slow the spread of COVID-19

Posted at 7:31 PM, Jun 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-18 21:31:49-04

BOISE, Idaho — Central District Health and bar owners and operators from Boise’s downtown held a meeting to discuss the recent COVID-19 illness cluster and ways to slow the spread of the virus to keep businesses open and Idaho healthy.

In a press release, CDH says they shared information on the illness cluster that now includes 69 people. These people may have exposed other members of the public by going to a number of bars and nightclubs while they were infectious.

"Positive cases within a business, regardless of industry, do not indicate wrongdoing on behalf of the business," CDH said in the press release. "Given significant community transmission of COVID-19, people can become exposed to and transmit the virus to others in any setting."

CDH says they and the bar owners discussed the gravity of this illness cluster and its potential to impact more of Idaho's vulnerable community. In the meeting, they also reviewed operational guidance for bars created by the State and discussed ideas on how to slow the spread as well as how to work toward a solution that keeps people healthy and businesses open.

Among the ideas discussed and agreed to were:

  • Staff consistently wearing face coverings
  • Customers being asked to wear a face covering
  • Physical distancing and occupancy restrictions being put in place
  • CDH and bar owners working together to educate the public on responsible socializing amid COVID-19
  • CDH offering establishments an on-site technical review of operational plans for increased safety and sanitation

CDH and the bar owners agreed to implement the measures discussed Thursday as soon as possible. However, some measures, such as providing face coverings for customers who do not have one, may take some additional time to put in place. Central District Health will continue to monitor this illness cluster.

Click here for more information on Idaho's state guidance for bars.

Click here for more on the CDC's guidance for bars.