Delaware Division of Public Health compliance chief Jamie Mack says Covid-19-related inspections are continuing.
Speaking Gov. John Carney’s Covid-19 press briefing earlier in the week, Mack said the division had made 2,000 inspections of everything from offices to restaurants, malls, and even high school football games.
The state has mainly relied on health inspectors to deal with enforcement. Neighboring Maryland is turning to the State Police, which have set up a complaint-driven system.
According to Gov. John Carney, further restrictions could be in the works, who indicated that “hard decisions” are coming in the wake of a surge in Covid-19 related cases and hospitalizations.
While many establishments are in compliance, inspectors continue to see issues with mask-wearing, social distancing, and capacity limits, Mack stated.
Fines are becoming more common since requirements such as masks have been in place for several months, he noted.
Mack confirmed that inspectors were in Delaware malls last weekend.
During that time, photos that showed congested conditions at the food court were posted Friday on the Delaware Restaurant Association’s Facebook page. The association has been firmly opposed to the 30 percent occupancy level, which was reduced from 60 percent last week.
The next day, the Division of Public Health reduced seating at food courts in Delaware to 100.
Mack agreed that the Christiana Mall food court conditions were challenging even though the area was “probably in compliance.”
Carney said at the briefing the 30 percent restaurant capacity limit came out of contact tracing data that indicated restaurants were the most visited venue by those testing positive for Covid-19.
The restaurant group says the industry was being singled out while malls and other businesses were allowed to keep a 60 percent limit.
According to Mack, public health officials plan to work with malls on food court seating options.
