COVID outbreaks close 9 bars in Washington city. Some ill workers were vaccinated

After several employees were exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19, at least nine bars in Seattle temporarily closed. Many of the employees were vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Several of the Seattle bars announced their closures on Facebook over the weekend, including Unicorn, Jupiter Bar, Shorty’s, Holy Mountain Brewery, Rumba and Inside Passage.

At least three of the bars that chose to close — Unicorn, Bar Harbor and Jupiter Bar — had fully-vaccinated employees test positive for COVID-19, according to the businesses and The Seattle Times.

Adam Heimstadt, owner of Unicorn, told the Times his bar will require proof of full COVID vaccination for entry when it reopens Friday.

“I wish this was a mandate for all bars,” Heimstadt said, according to the Times. “We need to all join together to require a vaccine card. It’s the only way. If some place does not do it, the people are just going to go to that bar and possibly get someone sick.”

Joey Nix, owner of Jupiter Bar, will only reopen at 50% capacity and he is also considering requiring proof of full vaccination, the Times reported.

Bars that chose to close due to COVID-19

• Unicorn: Closed July 25 and 26 due to positive COVID-19 tests among two staff members and plans to reopen July 30. Proof of full vaccination required.
• Jupiter Bar: Closed July 23 due to positive COVID-19 tests among staff and will be reopening Friday. Proof of vaccination under consideration, according to the Times.
• Inside Passage and Rumba: Closed July 25 after two vaccinated employees tested positive for COVID-19, Travis Rosenthal, owner of the two restaurants, told McClatchy News. It reopened July 28.
  
  
• The Masonry: Closed due to one employee’s exposure to COVID-19. Fremont location closed for one day on July 23, Queen Anne closed for the weekend, but reopened Monday, spokesperson Matt Storm told McClatchy News.
• Shorty’s Coney Island: Closed July 24 and 25, and reopened Monday. It will begin requiring proof of vaccination for entry starting Friday.
• Holy Mountain Brewing: Closed July 23 due to staff exposure to a fully-vaccinated individual who tested positive for COVID-19. It reopened July 24 after negative results among staff.
• Bar Harbor: Closed July 23 and 24 after two vaccinated employees tested positive for COVID-19. It reopened Tuesday, General Manager Bryan O’Neill told McClatchy News.

Health officials recommending face masks indoors

King County Public Health officials recommended that anyone 5 years or older, even those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, should wear face masks when indoors on July 26.

“COVID-19 spreads at a high rate among the unvaccinated, the risk of being exposed is higher for everyone — vaccinated and unvaccinated — and more infections will occur, primarily among unvaccinated people,” the office of the director of King County Public Health said in a directive.

Health officials in Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clallam, Jefferson, San Juan and Grays Harbor counties issued a joint statement recommending indoor face mask use and encouraged unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated.

The Washington State Department of Health reported 111,302 cases of COVID-19 and 1,677 deaths in King County since the onset of the pandemic. “Vaccinations are our best defense against COVID-19 and are safe, effective, and readily available for everyone age 12 and over. Please get yours immediately if you are not already vaccinated,” the statement reads.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Washington has had 431,031 cases and 6,100 deaths, according to the department of health.