Ohio Bars, Restaurants Will Remain Open

"Shutting down for a second time would be devastating to Ohio’s bars and restaurants. We are not going to do that today."

(Columbus, Oh.) - Bars and restaurants will remain open in Ohio. 

While many anticipated an order to close bars and restaurants across the Buckeye state, Governor Mike DeWine shut down those rumors with a tweet on Thursday afternoon.

"Shutting down for a second time would be devastating to Ohio’s bars and restaurants. We are not going to do that today. But, I’m announcing that I've requested the Ohio Liquor Control Commission to call a meeting to consider enacting an emergency rule related to liquor sales," reads a tweet by Gov. DeWine. 

The Ohio Governor said that the Liquor Control Commission will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow morning. If approved, an Executive Order would be signed for the emergency statewide administrative rule to go in effect Friday night. 

In addition to this announcement, Gov. DeWine said that the 10 person mass gathering order will be separated to offer "clear recommendations" for Ohioans to gather safely. 

1. Gatherings at a household or family residence should be limited to close friends/family and are recommended to be 10 visitors or less.
2. Residents in a red/purple county should limit hosting or attending gatherings of any size.
3. Wear a mask at all times at gatherings and maintain physical distance.
4. Use take out, outdoor dining, or indoor dining only when strict social distancing can be maintained.
5. Take extra precautions if you go to bars/clubs, where use of masks typically is inconsistent and drinking alcohol can lead to less social distancing.
6. Protect anyone w/ serious medical conditions at home by social distancing, wearing a mask, and high levels of hygiene.
7. High-risk individuals should take extra precautions to limit the number of people they interact with.
8. Make the group of people you interact with most often as small as possible and make sure that they are taking appropriate #COVID19 precautions – even if you are just gathering with family, friends, or neighbors at your home.

Today I am announcing that we will be separating out our 10-person mass gathering guidance back into a separate order. The order will be the same in many ways as it is today, however, this order offers clear recommendations to remind Ohioans when gatherings can be done safely.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020