Washington state to close restaurants and bars over coronavirus

Restaurants and bars in Washington state will briefly suspend dine-in service amid the coronavirus outbreak as authorities endeavor to stop the spread of the virus, the governor reported Sunday.

Gov. Jay Inslee (D) tweeted that no restaurant in the state will be allowed to serve face to face clients for the foreseeable future, with take-out and delivery services despite everything allowed.

The order won’t have any significant bearing to pharmacies and markets and echoes a decision made earlier in the day by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R).

“Tomorrow, we will temporarily shut down restaurants, bars, and entertainment/recreational facilities statewide,” Inslee added on Twitter. “All gatherings over 50 participants will be prohibited. All gatherings under 50 participants will be prohibited unless previously announced criteria for hygiene and social distancing are met.”

Washington state has been the hardest-hit of the U.S. by the coronavirus and has seen dozens of deaths as of the latest figures.

The global flare-up has sickened more than 140,000, including thousands in the U.S. furthermore, hundreds in the state itself.