'We Are In A Life Or Death Situation' | Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott Defends Indoor And Outdoor Dining Closure; Restaurant Owners Struggle
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City's new coronavirus restrictions—the toughest in the state—went into effect Friday night.
While there's no end date, the health commissioner said they typically keep such changes in place for four weeks "to allow us to collect enough data to see if the restrictions are having the impact needed on new cases, hospitalizations, positivity and deaths."
Mayor Brandon Scott defended his decision to close down indoor and outdoor dining.
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"Governor Hogan said Thursday that the state of Maryland is in red. No, we're on fire when it comes to COVID and we all have to understand that," Mayor Scott told WJZ.
While the governor said Thursday that dining is not the major spreader of the virus and outdoor dining is safe, Scott said his medical advisors believe closing all dining out options is necessary.
Carry out will remain open.
"Let me be clear: Any activity that requires you to remove your mask in public right now is dangerous. And we know it's very tough to eat or drink without removing your mask. I haven't seen anyone who can do it yet. You cannot do it," the mayor said.
He also spoke about the tents some restaurants have set up outside as the weather has gotten colder.
"Outdoor dining doesn't mean a tent that's closed on all sides without a heater. That's not outdoor dining. That's indoor dining that's just not inside the building anymore."
Terence Dickson knows the struggle for small businesses right now. He owns Terra Cafe, a fixture at the corner of 25th and Saint Paul.
"I'm worried about what's going to happen next week. Right now, for about the last eight weeks, we haven't made payroll. I've had to add money to the payroll every week because the orders coming through the door just don't do it," Dickson told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. "Every day when I go in, I've got to think not just about myself and my family, I've got to think about the other 20 families who work for me."
Despite the economic pain, Dickson supports the mayor's decision to shut down both indoor and outdoor dining until the surge in cases slows down.
"We have to have control of this. Our hospitals can't cover the influx," he said. "You see all the videos. No masks. 50 people in the room and it should be 20. This is that lesson we're learning right now."
Dickson said he has to put people over profit.
"I've got to tell people you can't come in without a mask. I've got to give a free mask out. It's safety first," he said.
Joseph Becker, the General Manager of Barley's Backyard Fells Point, called the new restrictions "crushing."
"It's awful, it's crushing us," Becker said. "The whole area's like a ghost town today. We had to announce to half our staff we have to let you go for a period of time which sucks for everyone."
Local dining destinations said once again they're going to need the community's support more than ever.
"Anytime you take away 75 percent of our capacity and now 100 percent of our capacity, to take away our Christmas catering opportunities, we're going to be down obviously," John Minadakis, Owner of Jimmy's Famous Seafood, said.
The city promises to enforce the new restrictions.
"We will absolutely be patrolling not just tonight but every night with our Social Club Task Force made up of police officers and people with other city agencies to enforce the executive orders and to make sure people voluntarily comply, but for those who don't, we absolutely will enforce it," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
Anne Arundel County is instituting similar restrictions next Wednesday.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
