Bar Closes Upon Learning COVID-Positive Patrons Plan To Attend

Plans for a karaoke night at Gaukurinn bar in downtown Reykjavík were quashed yesterday after management discovered that a number of known COVID-positive partiers planned to attend.

Magnús Bjarni Gröndal, manager of Gaukurinn, shared with Vísir that they received tips from several sources that a group of thirty exchange students from the University of Iceland and Reykjavík University planned to attend the event, despite knowing some members of the group had recently tested positive for COVID-19. These tips were further confirmed by the police who called to notify them of the situation.

Magnús told Vísir that it felt as if they’d just been threatened with a bomb.

Gaukurinn, not wanting to risk the health of their staff and other guests, decided instead to close for the night. They publicised the news of the karaoke cancellation and temporary closure on Instagram and Facebook, stating in part, “We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause. We are all in this together. It’s our duty to keep each other safe.”

Comments left on the posts showed gratitude for the bar’s responsible actions by taking a financial hit in a time of hardship to many restaurants instead of risking safety. The bar confirmed in response to one of these comments that the police are involved in the disregard of mandatory quarantine.

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