Allegheny County extends ban on indoor dining but allows some bars and restaurants to serve outdoors

After Allegheny County experienced a spike in coronavirus cases over the last two weeks that were partially linked to people visiting bars and restaurants, county officials closed bars, prohibited on-site alcohol consumption, and eventually closed down all indoor dining for a week.

Today, Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen has announced an extension of those orders, but with some changes that will allow Pittsburgh-area restaurants and some bars to operate on-site dining. 

Starting just past midnight on Fri., July 10, a new order will take effect that extends the current ban on indoor dining for two more weeks. However, restaurants and bars with food service will now be allowed to serve customers at outdoor dining tables as long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the state’s physical-distancing and cleanliness guidelines. Those include:

• Indoor areas are closed to customers except for through-traffic.
• Non-bar seating outdoors may be used as customer seating. Customers must be seated at a table.
• Three-drink maximum when customers are served at outdoor tables.
• Outdoor dine-in service is permitted until 11 p.m.
• Use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited at outdoor dining facilities, as well as indoors at casinos. People in casinos must wear masks at all times.
  
  

Restaurants and bars will continue to be allowed to serve take-out and delivery as they were before this new order.

In addition to these changes for restaurants, bars, and casinos, Allegheny County is also extending its event and gathering restrictions. Indoor gatherings are limited to 25 people, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people.
County requirements do not apply to religious gatherings held by churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, or other places of worship, but these places of worship still remain subject to state health department guidelines.

Today, Allegheny County added 230 new coronavirus cases, the second highest single-day total the county has seen since the pandemic started. Contact tracing from the county has shown many of the cases have been linked to people traveling out of state and returning, as well as people spending time in bars and restaurants. Since the cases have started to spike, many local restaurants have announced employees that have tested positive for COVID-19.

County health officials ask that individuals who have tested positive to isolate for a minimum of 10 days and close contacts must quarantine for at least 14 days since the last contact.