Aggieville business owners are doing more to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Video online surfaced over the weekend, showing large gatherings in a number of Aggieville bars. That led the Riley County Health Department to enforce decreased occupancy rates in bars and restaurants, now 75 percent of their posted capacity. It also requires screening of employees and documentation of that occurring at the door.
Speaking on In Focus Wednesday, Aggieville Business Association Director Dennis Cook said as things began to reopen, a spike was expected. Now that it’s happened, he believes the health department acted appropriately.
“I commend the Riley County Health Department for looking at it very carefully and making a really good decision. We’re fine with this,” he said.
As for masks, Cook says some retailers are requiring them, while bars and restaurants are not.
“There’s a lot more down here that have their employees masked up, but they don’t require it but do try to watch everybody and not let their business get really crowded with people,” he said.
As for the viral video, Cook says it unfairly casts Aggieville in a bad light, saying it wasn’t anyone’s fault for the surge in cases.
“We looked a little busier last weekend, but then again that doesn’t have anything really to do directly with the numbers you saw this weekend because you have to go back about two weeks to see where that spike came from,” he said.
Those sentiments are supported by Riley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs who has said for the most part businesses in Aggieville were abiding by rules put in place.
Many of the Aggieville businesses were shut down for more than two months, but only two are no longer operating.
“Businesses that are back open are doing really well. They’re all talking about how this is as good or better as it normally is this time of year. That’s a testimony to the locals in Manhattan and those wanting to support local businesses,” he said.
Taco Lucha, So Long Saloon and Varsity Donuts all announced temporary closures this week out of an abundance of caution due to the recent surge in new COVID-19 cases.
