McMaster restricts SC alcohol sales to slow spread of COVID-19 among young people
In an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus among younger people, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is restricting when bars and restaurants can serve alcohol.
Starting Saturday, establishments will not be able to serve alcohol past 11 p.m. each night under McMaster’s new order. Bars and restaurants caught serving alcohol past 11 p.m. face suspension of their liquor licenses.
Other states such as Florida, Texas and parts of California have ordered bars closed. McMaster is taking a targeted approach, his office said, by focusing on types of places where young people would gather in larger groups, without socially distancing, and catch and spread the virus through respiratory droplets.
“We know that young adults who are rapidly contracting the virus and spreading it into our communities frequently congregate in late-night atmospheres which simply are not conducive to stopping its continued transmission,” McMaster said. “This measured, carefully tailored approach will lessen the opportunity for South Carolinians to put themselves and their loved ones in harm’s way.”
“This is a mandate, this is an order that the state can enforce,” said McMaster who has said it would be impossible to enforce a statewide mask mandate.
Department of Revenue Director Hartley Powell said the order applies to 8,000 bars and restaurants with on-premises alcohol consumption licenses. Bars and restaurants can continue to sell food and nonalcoholic beverages past 11 p.m.
Powell said DOR will work with the State Law Enforcement Division to achieve compliance by starting out with warnings.
“If it gets down to the point where we need to actually revoke the license or temporarily suspend the license, we’ll do that,” Powell said.
McMaster’s order does not apply to alcohol sold at convenience stores, grocery stores, wine and liquor stores, or retail businesses.
Still there are lawmakers who believe the move by McMaster isn’t enough.
State Sen. Marlon Kimpson, D-Charleston, in a news conference Friday called for a shut down of bars and indoor dining at restaurants. However, McMaster has said he does not want to return to those restrictions.
“Your (executive order) says, no restaurant & bar alcohol sales after 11 p.m. DAILY! But we can still buy it at convenience, grocery & liquor stores,” state Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Richland said on Twitter after the announcement. “With a 436.5% increase in #COVID19 cases, why settle for #3 when SC can be #1 in the WORLD by August.”
Cases among young people have increased recently and people under 35 are responsible for most of the spread of the virus in the state, health officials have said. According to the Department of Health and Environmental Control, people between 21 and 30 represent 22% of the COVID-19 cases in the state. It’s the highest percentage of any age group tracked by DHEC.
In recent weeks DHEC reported a 966% increase in people ages 11 to 20 and 413% increase in people ages 21 to 30 testing positive for COVID-19.
“But when engaging in certain social activities like eating and grabbing a drink out with friends especially in enclosed indoor spaces, we are putting ourselves and others at great risk of getting and spreading the virus,” said DHEC’s Director of Public Health Joan Duwve. “In these settings people get close; they tend to talk louder over the music. We know this virus is spread quickly and efficiently by people who are close to one another talking.”
Although young people may have better outcomes from the disease, Prisma Health System has said it has seen an increase in the number young people hospitalized with COVID-19.
McMaster also intends to extend the state of emergency order an additional 15 days, as case counts have spiked in the last month and a half. This week, South Carolina surpassed 50,000 positive coronavirus cases.
Reporter John Monk contributed to this article.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 11:10 AM.
