PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio — One of Put-in-Bay's most-popular food stops has shut its doors as coronavirus cases surge in the village.
Frosty's Bar on Delaware Avenue closed Wednesday "until further notice," with officials citing the ongoing pandemic as the main reason. According to a statement on the bar's website, restaurant workers and patrons were identified as "primary contacts" for what has become an outbreak of COVID-19 on the island.
"There is STILL no playbook for this type of situation," Frosty's said. "In order to ensure the safety of our restaurant family and island guests, we decided the best course of action was to close until we are sure our family is healthy."
Photos posted on social media two weekends ago showed hundreds of people partying at Put-in-Bay, one of Ohio's top tourist areas. There was a distinct lack of social distancing, with few (if any) wearing masks.
Just days after the pictures were made public, health officials in the area said at least eight people who visited the island have since tested positive for the coronavirus. In response, Ottawa County will test scores of local workers for the disease starting Friday, and Frosty's says it will decide whether or not it will reopen once those results come back 1-3 days later.
More than 60,000 Ohioans have contracted COVID-19 during this pandemic, and more than 3,000 of those have died. Case numbers and hospitalizations have been rising across the state over the last few weeks, and while part of this is due to increased testing, the positivity rate has risen to 6.4%, a bit higher than the recommended threshold.
