In order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has proposed an emergency rule to be reviewed by the Ohio Liquor Control Commission that would ban the sale of alcohol at Ohio bars and restaurants — or any liquor-permitted establishments — after 10 p.m.
Customers would have until 11 p.m. to finish their drinks.
“We do not want to shut down Ohio bars and restaurants. That would be devastating to them,” said DeWine during today’s COVID-19 press briefing. “But we do have to take some action.”
The businesses can stay open – but we believe that stopping alcohol sales at 10 o’clock for onsite consumption will help thin out the crowd and help slow the spread.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020
The state liquor control board will be meeting about the emergency rule tomorrow at 9 a.m. to take a vote. If they approve it, DeWine will sign an order that makes it effective starting at 10 p.m. Friday night.
“I’m mindful of the economic impacts this has, but we have to slow the spread of virus, and we have to slow it down across the state of Ohio,” DeWine said.
Restaurants will be allowed to continue serving alcoholic drinks with carry-out food orders, and DeWine said the drink limit has been expanded from two boozy beverages per carry-out order to three.
Across the river, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has mandated that bars close and restaurants reduce their indoor capacity to 25% for two weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19. That order is in effect until Aug. 11, at which point the state’s COVID infection numbers will be reviewed to see if the restrictions need to continue.
Today, Ohio is reporting 1,733 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, with 20 new deaths, 125 new hospitalizations and 21 ICU admissions.
Today’s 1,733 new cases reported is the highest daily count we have ever reported. This is not good news. pic.twitter.com/YyMCQOGrPp
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020
This article appears in The Summer Guide.