ST. LOUIS — Mayor Lyda Krewson is making bars close earlier than normal, after looking at the latest COVID-19 numbers.
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In her briefing Wednesday, she said, "51% of the new cases were young people in their 20s and 30s."
Mayor Krewson says the increase in cases and the prevalence among 20 and 30 years old has continued over the last month.
That's why she's mandating bars to have last call earlier than usual. Making them lock up by 11.
When asked why that specific time?
Mayor Krewson's office says it's to limit social gathering and mixing and address the significant surge of new cases they've seen in 20-40-year-olds.
Jack Patrick's owner, Kevin Liese says the new cut off doesn't help business.
"With the hockey games at 9:30, it's not great timing. We were starting to get busier later," Liese says.
But he understands the most important thing is safety. Knowing that the late-night hours could further the spread.
"The later people go, the more they drink, the more they forget about all the precautions," Liese adds.
Over in Soulard, Hammerstone's general manager Cory Hammerstone says, she's seen people gain some liquid courage, as the night goes on.
"I feel like it's a good move on the city's part. We've seen a lot of people generally at night not wanting to wear masks, they are more comfortable," Hammerstone explains.
She adds, this new rule, helps control what's going on inside.
The social gatherings have also caught the attention of Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious disease specialist at WashU and St. Louis Children's Hospital.
He says, limiting transmission is important, to even help out our little ones going back to school.
"We as a community have to band together and do things that will limit transmission that means closing bars and sky zones and having all of us be responsible for wearing masks doing social distancing. To make it even safer for everyone, we as a community will put children first," Dr. Newland adds.
The order will stay in effect until September 7th.
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