LANSING, Mich. – At least 14 people who recently visited Harper's Restaurant & Brew Pub June 12-20 have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The health department advises people who were at the East Lansing establishment June 12-20 to watch for symptoms of the respiratory disease.
People with symptoms, which may develop up to 14 days after exposure, should seek immediate testing for COVID-19. People without symptoms may also request testing. Asymptomatic infections do occur and can be contagious. Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, shortness of breath and fever.
“Anyone could have COVID-19. You never know because some people with coronavirus are not yet sick, and some people never have signs of the disease,” said Ingham County Health Officer Linda S. Vail. “We need people to treat every person they encounter as a potential carrier. That means wearing masks and keeping 6 feet away from others. I strongly urge everyone to take precautions so that we can keep infections down and keep businesses open.”
Inspectors from the Ingham County Health Department found Harper’s following appropriate safety procedures related to employees, restaurant capacity and table spacing. Harper’s voluntarily opted to close temporarily late Monday to implement a program to eliminate lines and to modify its HVAC system.
All of the people with cases linked to Harper’s are between the ages of 19 and 23. Approximately half are connected to Michigan State University (MSU). Some have permanent residence in other Michigan counties. The increase in Ingham County COVID-19 cases reported for June 22 was the largest the county has seen since May 27.
“We know that the virus can be spread when people are in close proximity to each other and are not wearing face coverings. These positive cases underscore the importance of personal responsibility among our students, faculty and staff, and taking the necessary steps to protect ourselves and others from the unnecessary transmission of COVID-19. This includes wearing a cloth face covering in public spaces and avoiding large gatherings,” said MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of our Spartan community impacted by this virus and we wish them a speedy recovery. We will continue working in partnership with the health department to facilitate any necessary contact tracing and redouble our efforts to educate our community on the importance of the preventative measures we all should be taking.”
Many options are available for coronavirus testing in the community. People can contact their primary care physician or visit a no-cost testing site: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirustest
To prevent the spread of coronavirus, people should maintain a distance of 6 feet away from others, wear a mask or face covering, wash their hands, and stay home if ill.
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