Great Lakes Wire

After over 100 COVID-19 cases were traced back to Trish Riley's bar, Harper's, in East Lansing, Riley is asking for more coronavirus testing, Bridge Michigan reported.

Harper's has had 107 coronavirus cases traced back to its location, but Trish Riley, who co-owns the bar with husband, Pat, wants testing to continue so that the numbers are a known quantity.

“People say to me, I feel so bad for you being demonized as far as the numbers,” Riley told Bridge Michigan. “I say we have to get the numbers. If we don’t have the numbers, we don’t know what’s out there.”

Executive Director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association Scott Ellis said the cases have been contained to one area. 

“Our philosophy is, it’s not blowing up all over the state,” Ellis told Bridge Michigan.

But restaurant and bar owners fear the cases could cause Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to close them down again. 

“Gov. Whitmer is continuing to monitor cases and make decisions based on the best data and science,” Whitmer's spokeswoman Tiffany Brown told Bridge Michigan. “As she has said all along, she will adjust as necessary as we learn more about where and how this virus spreads most easily... Bar owners and patrons must do their part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and taking all required safety precautions.”

But Riley said she and her husband are already enacting safety precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including touchless bathrooms, disposable menus and new training for employees. They also supplied optional paper masks to customers. 

Harper's also changed to disposable cups, bolted tables to the floor to prevent clustering and doesn't allow dancing. 

But the line into the bar remains a problem. 

“I’m not sure we assumed that the line was going to be that substantial,” Riley told Bridge Michigan. “You had a lot of the student market very interested in being able to go out.”

To combat the line, the couple is working on an online queue system, which will let people reserve their spot in line. 

“I’m very interested in making sure that people are safe over people having fun,” Riley told Bridge Michigan. “It’s important we find innovative ways to still be happy with where you’re going, but be responsible.”