MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered bars and restaurants to stop selling alcohol at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Statistics show the night before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest days for bars.
“It turns out, the biggest day for drinking is the day before Thanksgiving,” Wolf said. “I don’t like addressing that more than anyone else does, but it’s a fact. And when people get together in that situation, it leads to the exchange of the fluids that leads to the increased infection.”
The regulation allows alcohol sales to resume at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
The reaction from business owners was lukewarm at best with many criticizing Wolf for making the move. Wolf said he understands the frustration but his action is based on a spike of COVID-19 cases.
“We’re going to defeat this virus,” Wolf said. “That should be what we’re focused on, not whether we want to get a transitory benefit from going out with friends the day after tomorrow and having some drinks. Let’s forgo that, this one time.”
Alcohol sales in Maryland are ordered to cease at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Governor Larry Hogan has announced that order will be enforced by state police and local authorities.