MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee eases some restrictions in the city, but leaves bars and restaurants closed until at least after Memorial Day. The new plan for the city is called Moving Milwaukee Forward Safely.
“What it does is it loosens restrictions on businesses that were previously closed and allows them to open with certain limitations,” said Mayor Tom Barrett.
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It means businesses and retail can open up to 25-percent capacity, so more people will be allowed in stores. Gyms will be able to open to a limit of 10 people. Garage sales and rummage sales can also happen in the city.
However, Bars and restaurants will stay closed. They will remain carry-out only. A move some residents support.
“I think he should keep it closed,” said Dejeron Harris. “There are still a lot of cases out there."
The number of COVID-19 cases are part of the reason Milwaukee is staying partially closed.
Milwaukee has 4,387 cases. A majority of those cases right now are occurring in the Sherman Park neighborhood on the north side and the Muskego Way neighborhood on the south side.
The city has also seen a recent spike in hospitalizations. Though Dr. Ben Weston of the Milwaukee County Medical Department said there is not a concern of hospital reaching capacity right now.
“The representation of COVID positive patients in our area, we were at 146 on the 14th of May now we are 192 as of today. So it is about a 30 percent increase,” said Weston. “The take home point there is the pandemic is very much not over.”
“If I had my druthers we would have all of our establishments open but we are trying to do that in a way that is responsible for everybody,” said Barrett.