The governor has issued a new executive order to prevent late-night gatherings at bars and restaurants in hopes of slowing down the Covid-19 virus. He is restricting the sale of alcohol at these businesses, stating they must stop selling alcohol at 11 p.m. every night or possibly have their licenses removed.
This Order goes into effect on Saturday, July 11, 2020.
McMaster stated that this is in direct response to the skyrocketing number of Covid-19 cases among young people in the state. He hopes this order will convince young adults to take this virus seriously and to begin taking the required steps to protect themselves.
McMaster also mentioned his desire to reopen schools to in-person learning while announcing his new order. He also said he wants to allow nursing home visitation, but he cannot until young people act “like mature adults.”
The order does not affect the sale of alcohol at convenience stores, grocery stores or other retail stores.
Will this new executive order halt young people from having large gatherings or will it force businesses again to face an uncertain future in South Carolina? Even during the previous orders large gatherings were held in homes and private locations.
We find it hard to see a correlation between nursing home visits and bars? Do visitors need to be tested for fevers prior to entry into a nursing home, we believe so. But to deny our elderly visitation by family and friends is not a power the State Government has.