Closures come with La Crosse County under “severe risk” for COVID-19 spread
Tyler Job
Posted:
Updated:
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – With the La Crosse County Health Department putting us under a “severe risk” for spread of COVID-19 … some businesses are choosing to close their doors again.
Twenty-two new coronavirus cases are being reported in the county Thursday.
Before the health department placed La Crosse County under a “severe risk” for coronavirus spread, they had already released a list of seven businesses where people could’ve been exposed to the disease between June 5 and 7.
Most businesses on that list are bars and restaurants.
“Right now, the biggest chance of COVID-19 spread is very wide,” La Crosse County Health Department health director Jen Rombalski said. “That net has gotten very large.”
Now with the county in the red, some bars are already closing their doors again.
“I kinda thought it was gonna happen again just how everything’s going,” Chances R owner Karla Grekoff said.
Chances R opened up again on June 11, but it stayed that way for just five days.
“Yeah, it was quick,” Grekoff said. “But, I just wanna keep everybody safe and healthy.”
Grekoff says the bar was following health guidelines while they were open, including mask wearing and social distancing as much as possible.
“We did a lot of cleaning,” Grekoff said. “We put up a shield so people couldn’t go near where the bartenders are preparing beverages.”
Capacity wasn’t an issue.
“The first three days, we were busy,” Grekoff said. “Then after the numbers really started going up, it was pretty quiet.”
This new reality is hard for her to grasp.
“Being upset and mad about it isn’t going to change anything,” Grekoff said. “It’s a bittersweet thing, you know. At least we got to be open and see some of our patrons for a few days. But, it is what it is I guess. Not much more we can do. Just, stay safe.”
COPYRIGHT 2020 BY WKBT/News8000.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
