HARRISBURG — More Pennsylvania restaurants are getting dinged for defying Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation orders.
As part of its latest round of inspections, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it has ordered 33 restaurants to close for allowing patrons to eat indoors. The inspections took place Dec. 21-27.
Under the governor’s latest mandate, restaurants are not permitted to serve patrons indoors for three weeks ending Jan. 4. In addition, restaurants must continue to follow rules requiring employees to wear masks, while they offer carryout and takeout and serve diners outdoors.
The Department of Agriculture conducted 381 inspections. Fifty of those inspections were prompted by complaints filed about COVID-19 mitigation orders not being followed. Last week, the department announced 40 restaurants had been ordered to close for defying orders.
Other agencies in the state including the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement oversee COVID-19 enforcement. The agency recently cited dozens of licensed establishments in the state.
Restaurants that continue to defy the closing orders and operate in any manner, according to the Department of Agriculture will be referred to the Pennsylvania Department of Health for further legal action.
On Dec. 23, the Department of Health filed an injunction through Commonwealth Court against 22 restaurants that continue to defy the indoor dining ban despite being ordered to close. The injunction requires restaurants to close and seeks “compensatory damages and all costs relative to enforcing the provisions of the order.”
Complaints, whether general food safety concerns or those related to COVID-19 mitigation efforts, can be filed online.
The following restaurants in Western Pennsylvania were ordered to close between Dec. 21 and 27:
• Armstrong County — Yak Diner, North, Apollo
• Washington County — Harrington’s, McDonald; Ye Olde Kopper Kettle, Washington
• Westmoreland County — Tin Lizzy’s, Youngstown
First Published: December 29, 2020, 10:47 p.m.