Thirsty Goat closed after workers get COVID-19. Woodland bar says unvaccinated to blame

The Thirsty Goat in Woodland is closed until the end of the month after two workers contracted COVID-19. The bar said Wednesday in a social-media post that the employees had contracted the coronavirus from unvaccinated customers.

According to the Thirsty Goat, two guests informed the staff that they had tested positive and hadn’t received a vaccine, and had not worn a mask during their visit to the bar. A manager and another worker were infected despite being fully vaccinated.

Yolo County health officials were among the first this month to recommend masks be worn indoors, regardless of vaccination status, as infections across the capital region rose sharply — particularly from the Delta variant of the virus. While vaccines greatly reduce the complications of illness from the coronavirus, health experts say it does not shield people from contracting and transmitting it.

Masks remain, however, a recommendation in most of California — though Los Angeles County and some Bay Area health officials have elevated their indoor mask-wearing to a mandatory order.

The Thirsty Goat will remain closed until July 31, barely a month after its reopening.

“This is not a decision we came to easily but we want to keep everyone healthy. We at Thirsty Goat pride ourselves in being leaders which sometimes means making the unpopular choice,” managers wrote on Instagram.

Once it reopens, managers said patrons would be required to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask except when taking a sip or eating, similar to what other establishments in the Sacramento area are reportedly doing.