Hundreds possibly exposed to COVID-19 after staff test positive at Regulars bar in Toronto
Though this weekend was one of the few we have left to enjoy perfect patio weather in Toronto, it was not a good one for bars, especially for a number of establishments along King West, including Regulars Bar.
The two-year-old watering hole at King and Bathurst is just one of several bars that unfortunately reported outbreaks of COVID-19 among both staff and/or patrons in the last few days as case numbers in Ontario continue to spike, especially among people under 40.
Approximately 600 people who were potentially exposed to the virus between Sept. 13 and 22, Toronto Public Health (TPH) reported on Sunday, with three employees testing positive.
The business made a social media post that same day to notify customers of the news.
"In an effort to be transparent with our guests and community, please note that three of our staff members have tested positive for COVID - 19," management wrote on Instagram.
"These staff members went into quarantine at an early stage. We are happy to announce that these staff members are in good health and recovering."
The bar also stated that Toronto Public Health has already reached out to those most at-risk for contact, but that all who frequented the bar during the aforementioned period should monitor themselves for symptoms.
Also, that the bar has since been permitted to resume normal operations, and what it has allegedly been doing to help keep employees and guests safe.
But some residents posted videos of the Regulars patio during the summer that do not seem to show strict adherence to provincial pandemic guidelines, especially physical distancing.
@cityoftoronto @blogTO Is this what Stage 2 means Toronto? Regulars Bar, management and the people who worked there as well as customers seem to be completely oblivious to social distancing and masks. WTF!! #COVIDIOT #covid19to #Toronto pic.twitter.com/jCWfDVOFFS
— COVID POLICE (@COVID_POLICE1) June 28, 2020
Still, in its notice about the outbreak, TPH thanked the bar for its cooperation both during the investigation and with implementing proper measures during this time.
The province has been seeing a surge of cases in recent weeks, with new daily case counts hitting numbers we haven't seen in months — 926 new patients were confirmed over the weekend alone.
Premier Doug Ford implemented a strict 11 p.m. last call and midnight closing time for bars province-wide on Friday, though the outbreaks at Regulars and other bars had already happened by that point.
Yonge Street Warehouse just announced seven infections on its premises, with a contact period earlier this month, while three King Street bars were shut down after the city found "people infected with COVID-19 were employed at more than one of these locations," among other concerns.
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