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Houston bar voluntarily closes after worker exposed to COVID-19
According to the owner of The Cottonmouth Club, while they closed out of precaution, other bars, restaurants, and salons are not taking the same safety measures.
HOUSTON - A Houston bar closed for the weekend after a worker was possibly exposed to Coronavirus COVID-19.
According to the owner of The Cottonmouth Club, while they closed out of precaution, other bars, restaurants, and salons are not taking the same safety measures.
“We are going to take every step we can to be safe,” said Michael Neff, owner of The Cottonmouth Club. “We don’t want to be closed, and we certainly don’t want to go out of business, but we also can’t be a substantial part of the problem.”
RELATED: Handlebar Houston alcohol permit suspended for violating state reopening orders
New video posted publicly to Snapchat over the weekend shows crowded Houston bars. According to Neff, he’s heard of many restaurant and bar workers recently testing positive for COVID-19.
“There are bar teams getting sick all over Houston, in a way that’s not being represented, 10 to 15 people at a time” said Neff. “Restaurants and bars are not informing the public when people that work in those places get sick.”
RELATED: Bars now at 50% capacity in Texas as part of Gov. Abbott's Phase 3 to Reopen Texas
Neff says the bar and restaurant circle in Houston is relatively close. According to Neff, there’s a belief that workers at some establishments continue working while testing positive for COVID-19.
“We’re in an industry that doesn’t have a huge safety net,” said Neff. “If you get fired, what are you going to do?”
“So, people are working even if they test positive?” FOX 26 Reporter Matthew Seedorff asked.
“Yes,” Neff responded, referring to other bars and restaurants. “I think it’s criminally reprehensible. It’s purposefully jeopardizing all of us as a community, as a city, everybody. If that was Hepatitis C that going around restaurants, and we didn’t tell people, we’d go to jail.”
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) issued a dozen 30-day permit suspensions on bars across Texas over the weekend. According to a TABC press release, the bars ignored 50 percent capacity rules and/or social distancing standards.
On the list from the TABC suspension list from Houston area, Barge 295 in Seabrook and Handlebar Houston off Washington Avenue.
So far, Neff says none of his employees have tested positive for COVID-19. He hopes to re-open soon, but also admits that some customers need to change their habits.
“Most of the people that are coming down here really don’t care,” said Neff. “They don’t want to wear masks. They don’t want to take precautions. All they do is laugh at the people who do. It’s not easy being responsible when you have to babysit every person that walks in.”