Viral videos showing packed bar with no masks stun North Carolina health officials

NORTH CAROLINA (WJZY) — Viral videos showing a packed bar with no masks has outraged public health officials in North Carolina. At a virtual press conference Friday afternoon, Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris showed a video taken at the QC Social Lounge from the night before.

“For the individuals that were there last night, my recommendation is they quarantine for 14 days,” Harris said. “I would be very surprised if there was not COVID in that space last night.” Management at the uptown Charlotte nightclub did not respond to requests for comment.

On Friday, the state’s new curfew went into effect. Bars and restaurants had to stop serving alcohol at 9:00 p.m., and everyone had to be out of the door by 10 p.m. “It’s not surprising when you see this clip that we have the highest number of cases that have been reported to us since the beginning of the pandemic,” Harris said.

The health director added that she has already reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department about the nightclub.

CMPD Deputy Chief Jeff Estes says most businesses in the area have complied with the governor’s executive orders limiting large gatherings and requiring masks. “The ones that we have seen not in compliance, we’ll be dealing with,” he said.

CMPD does not plan to have roadblocks to enforce the curfew. People coming to or from work will be allowed to be out. However, Estes said anyone that officers encounter during their normal duties will be questioned.