Reopening night at an Illinois bar led to at least 46 COVID-19 cases — and the temporary shutdown of a school, according to a new CDC study.
The bar — located in a rural part of the state and with room for about 100 people — reopened amid the pandemic in early February, researchers said.
The indoor event ended up leading to 26 patrons getting the virus, as well as three bar staffers. Another 17 “secondary’’ coronavirus cases stemmed from the reopening also — and included patients identified as two school athletes and three people at long-term care facilities, said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A local school with 650 children had to be shut down because of the spread, too, the report said.
“These findings demonstrate that opening up settings such as bars, where mask wearing and physical distancing are challenging, can increase the risk for community transmission of SARS-CoV-2,’’ the study said.
Seventeen secondary coronavirus cases stemmed from the bar reopening. Getty Images“As community businesses begin to reopen, a multicomponent approach should be emphasized in settings such as bars to prevent transmission,’’ including enforcement of mask-wearing and social distancing, reduced indoor occupancy and better ventilation, researchers said.
