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Governor Polis announces 30-day dine-in restaurant and bar closures

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Derek Draplin | The Center Square

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Monday evening that he hass ordered all dine-in services at restaurants and bars to cease for 30 days due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Restaurants will still be able to offer drive through, delivery and take-out services, the governor said. Other kinds of businesses like gyms, theaters and casinos also will be closed.

“There were very difficult decisions,” Polis said. “The goals of which are to reduce the severity and duration of this public health crisis.”

“We know that there’s over 12,000 small restaurants and bars across the state, and I know first hand they’re some of the hardest business establishments to manage,” he added, saying he used to own two restaurants that later went out of business.

Polis also said the state now has 160 cases of coronavirus, up from 131 cases over the weekend, andadded that 50 more nurses have been brought into the state to help with virus response.

Economic forecasts released Monday anticipated far lower revenue for the state this fiscal year compared to forecasts from December.

The governor said “the economic situation in complete flux,” adding that he “wouldn’t put much stock in any economic forecast, although we know the news isn’t good.”

Over the weekend the governor ordered the closure of all ski areas across the state.