Miami-Dade and Broward joined the rest of the state in Phase 2 re-openings but with restrictions.
Phase 2 statewide allows gyms, shops, hair and nail salons, along with restaurants, to operate at 75% capacity.
Miami-Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach have decided to keep bars closed, although they are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity in the rest of the state.
“Bars are not going to be open,” said Broward Mayor Dale Holness on Friday.
Monday morning, dozens of protesters descended on the Broward Government Center demanding that the mayor change his mind and allow them to re-open.
“When things first started, everyone wanted to stay home. But the truth is we all have to come out. We all have to come out. So we do it the right way. And that’s what we do as bar owners, restaurants, and I’m talking for all bars and clubs, anybody, any business, we all got to do it the right way. And that’s what we’ve been doing. We’ve been open in the past, they come in, they let us go. They said we doing it right. We got the dividers, we’re doing everything they asked us to do. We were all waiting for phase two. Phase Two is here, but you can’t leave us out,” said Deejay Hector Perez, one of those protesting on Monday.
Counties are allowed to be stricter, and thus Miami-Dade and Broward will not follow all state recommendations.
South Florida is still working to slow the spread. And they’re waiting to see if Labor Day had an impact.
“We’re in a pretty good place. But I understand that the positive rate is just below that 5% threshold. Some would like to see even a longer period and a lower level of positivity,” said Holness on Friday.
Miami-Dade’s two-week average positivity rate for new cases is 5.92%. In Broward, it’s 3.81%.
In Broward, movie theaters and bowling alleys are already open. But in Phase 2, they will be allowing restaurant counter service and are considering expanding gym capacity.
Miami-Dade County will open certain entertainment venues at a 50% capacity.
“Those include entertainment venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys, playhouses, arcades operating at 50% capacity,” explained Gimenez.
