FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF) – Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley announced Monday afternoon that bars in the county can reopen on Wednesday after being closed for months over concerns surrounding coronavirus.
The move comes after Governor Greg Abbott said last week that bars could reopen under 50% capacity in counties with a hospitalization rate of 15% or less, per approval by the County Judge.
Judge Whitley said he took several factors into account when contemplating the proposed reopenings.
“You have to balance out the consequences to mental health, and the financial consequence to many of these businesses,” said Judge Whitley. “So we wanted to open up these businesses as quickly as we could.”
He said he’s confident that hospitalization numbers across the county are low enough to allow for bars to reopen.
County and city officials in Fort Worth rededicated themselves to enforcing capacity and mask requirements.
“If flagrant violations of the occupancy requirements are ignored or COVID cases make up more than 15 percent of our Tarrant County hospital capacity, I won’t hesitate to close bars,” Whitley said.
Bars in Collin, and Denton Counties can also reopen Wednesday. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins opted not to reopen bars in his county at this time.
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