WILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery services as part of a new modified emergency declaration issued by Gov. John Carney.
Carney's declaration takes effect at 8 p.m. on Monday, March 16. It also bans gatherings of 50 or more people and closes gaming activities at casinos.
According to a press release from the governor, Carney's modified declaration also gives Delaware’s Secretary of Labor "authorization to develop emergency rules to protect Delaware workers and ensure that unemployment benefits are available for Delawareans whose jobs are affected by the coronavirus outbreak."
“These restrictions will hit Delaware’s restaurants and bars especially hard,” Carney said in the release. “Delawareans should continue to support these businesses, and their workers, by ordering take-out or delivery. Restaurants also remain a critical source of food for vulnerable populations. But this is a very serious situation, with a significant amount of uncertainty."
Carney went on to say that gatherings of 50 people or more increase the risk that more people will come in contact with COVID-19.
Delaware schools are already closed for at least two weeks.
