Strip club reopens after lockdown with ‘masks on, clothes off’ party… but owner admits a ‘risk’ of catching coronavirus
A STRIP club has re-opened for business with a "masks on, clothes off" party — despite the owner admitting there was a "risk" of catching coronavirus.
The Den, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, provided ample amounts of hand sanitizer for customers and required dancers to wear face masks after opening up following lockdown.
More than 90,000 people have died in the US from Covid-19 and 1.5million have become infected.
But Donald Trump took to Twitter yesterday to vent about the coronavirus stay-home measures, while many states enter the national phased reopening process.
Officials gave the green-light for bars and restaurants to re-open across America with strict protocols in place.
But Wyoming has taken a more relaxed approach and allowed strip joints to open up as well.
We knew that once our doors closed, we were screwed until we could reopen
Owner Kim Chavez
The state has recorded eight Covid-19 deaths and has an official total of 754 infected.
Dancers at The Den wore bandanas over their faces and others donned surgical masks - but were reportedly touching customers and exchanging dollar bills.
Owner Kim Chavez told USA Today she was not totally confident about the re-launch but felt she had little choice because neighboring bars were re-opening.
She said staff were finding it difficult to make ends meet because government support like the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program was not open to those in adult businesses.
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Chavez said: "We knew that once our doors closed, we were screwed until we could reopen.
"If I’d gotten the PPP I might not have opened today. This is a risk we’re taking.
"That was the hardest part about being shut: worrying about the girls.
"It was heartbreaking because you know every girl’s story.”
The phased reopening of US business and social life is underway with more Americans emerging from coronavirus lockdowns.
But a revision to an influential coronavirus mortality model periodically updated by University of Washington researchers predicted 143,357 Americans will die from COVID-19 by early August.
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