Nightclub owners be forewarned: The city’s Covid-19-safety compliance crew may be headed your way, ready to fine owners failing to enforce mask rules.
City Health Director Maritza Bond offered that warning Monday during an appearance on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.
Bond said restaurants in town in general are doing a solid job conforming to rules about masking and capacity limits, along with other safety precautions, amid the Delta variant-fueled upsurge in Covid-19 cases. Some entertainment spots as well are doing their jobs and sticking to the rules. She singled out the Shubert and College Street Music Hall for praise along with Crown Street’s BAR. BAR received nationwide attention for an early policy requiring proof of vaccination or negative Covid test for patrons to enter, igniting some hostile social media pushback. (“They’re still pretty busy!” Bond said, observing that a small “extremist right-wing” faction got disproportionate attention for its complaints.)
But …
Sophie Sonnenfeld Photo
Bond shutting down Anthony’s Ocean View last fall during a Covid compliance sweep.
“Most bars are not in compliance” with masking rules, Bond said.
She noticed that fact by walking around town the past two weekends, as well as from receiving a stream of complaints and online messages and pictures documenting violations.
That means a team of city health and building inspectors will return to duty popping in on bars and restaurants and issuing fines, the way they did during previous Covid upsurges, Bond said.
“We are transitioning from education to finding individuals,” she said. “We’ve done lots of warnings the last three weeks.”
Thomas Breen Photo
Health Director Maritza Bond at recent Covid policy update.
On “Dateline” Monday, Bond discussed the city’s latest attempts to keep hospitalizations under control and stem the spread of Covid, including a newly announced vax-or-test mandate for city employees; outlined safety measures in place for the new school year; and answered questions from listeners. “People are over Covid. Covid is not over us, unfortunately,” she observed. Click on the video at the top of the story to watch the full interview.