Miami-Dade allows indoor dining, plans to keep beaches open on Labor Day weekend

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced on Tuesday that indoor dining will be allowed starting on Monday, but there will be a limit on restaurants’ capacity to keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under control.

Restaurateurs in Miami-Dade will have to adhere to a 50% capacity limit, Gimenez said, adding the decision was made with the approval of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

“While we are heading in the right direction, we are not out of the woods yet,” Gimenez said.

Gimenez also said face mask requirements will continue inside and outside of restaurants. Officers will also be encouraging restaurants to always keep the air conditioner running and open windows to increase air circulation, Gimenez said.

The capacity limits also include a requirement that no more than six people be allowed to sit in each table. And to keep up with social distancing, the tables will need to be placed at least six feet apart, Gimenez said.

Gimenez also announced public beaches will not be closed during Labor Day weekend. Social distancing will be required.

“We will have additional enforcement personnel,” Gimenez said.

Miami-Dade's new indoor dining rules. (MD)

Miami-Dade is on its seventh day of reporting a day-to-day testing positivity rate below 10%, which the World Health Organization considers ideal during the pandemic.

Gimenez said that aside from the testing positivity rate he is also keeping an eye on hospitalizations. If the data is positive, Gimenez said he is considering extending the curfew from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

“We are going to take this very cautiously,” Gimenez said, adding “We are just going to take this one step at a time.”

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Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues. She also serves as co-host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast, "This Week in South Florida."

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.