The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the state's stay at home order saying it was unlawful and unenforceable, which allowed local bars and restaurants to reopen...with some new rules and regulations.
Wisconsin locals wasted no time returning to the bars on Wednesday night and bar owners did take some precautions, but also said it was difficult to follow all the new rules. The new guidelines say that all employees should wear masks and frequently sanitize high-contact surfaces. All patrons must stay one bar stool apart unless they come from the same household. Some bars even removed half their barstools to ensure social distancing. Customers need to both sanitize their hands at the door upon entering and get their temperatures checked.
While these new guidelines are all in place to keep both the staff and patrons safe and healthy, both groups have argued that not all of them are realistic. When asked if she would make her customers wear masks, one bar owner said, "How can you wear a mask and drink?" Another said employees cannot wear gloves while working because it makes opening beer bottles difficult.
You can see in this video from WGN News that reopening the bars meant mass chaos and in a very unfortunate scene, even frontline workers are not taking the precautions seriously!
It will be interesting to see how Illinois reacts when bars and restaurants are reopened.