You can stay out late again, but governor says people need to remain vigilant
Cincinnatians and other Ohioans this past weekend could stay out late for the first time since mid-November, thanks to the expiration of the state’s curfew.
With COVID-19 cases declining to fewer than 2,500 a day, Gov. Mike DeWine late last week delivered good news for night owls and restaurant and bar owners across Ohio. The governor had set seven days of below-2,500 cases as the goal, and “we’ve blown through that.” New cases have been under 2,500 a day since Feb. 2.
The governor said he was allowing the curfew—known officially as the Department of Health “Director’s Stay at Home Tonight Order”—to expire at noon this past Thursday. The original order Nov. 19 required people to remain in their residences between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. except for limited circumstances, such as traveling to or from work or for acquiring essential services. The order was extended Dec. 10, Dec. 30, Jan. 22 and Jan. 27, with the hours adjusted in late January to 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Because customers were required to be at home by 10 or 11 p.m., the restaurants and bars had been forced to close under the order.
What the expiration means for residents across the region is they have options for wining and dining past 11 p.m. For restaurants and bars, it’s a return to their previous hours, often critical for sales. The Ohio Restaurant Association, in a Thursday briefing, said Kelli Gagen, owner of Mio’s Pizzeria in Clifton, told the association that just the change from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. resulted in an additional $100,000 in revenue.
“I am just so grateful for every extra minute we get to make a little extra money and keep ourselves alive and relevant and get through this pandemic,” Gagen said.
John Barker, president and CEO of the association, said Thursday: “The ORA and our members across the state are pleased that the curfew has ended. Our industry has faced restrictions for nearly 11 months, including curfews and stay-at-home advisories. Every decision Ohio and elected officials take to support the industry improves the ability of restaurants, bars, breweries, caterers, food trucks and other food-service operators to survive the pandemic. This is important because we believe about 20% have already closed statewide due to the devastating impact of the pandemic.”
In a separate order, DeWine and his Department of Health director, Stephanie McCloud, allowed the resumption of buffets, banquets and catering services as long as a list of precautions is observed, including the presence of hand sanitizer at food stations, social distancing and the wearing of masks.
“We may in the future have to put a curfew back on,” DeWine said. “We certainly hope we do not. Doctors will say it’s very important for us to continue to do what we’ve been doing. Let’s get the vaccine into our arms as quickly as we can, but we must continue to wear the masks and we must continue to keep the distancing.”
