Statewide curfew lifted, bars can resume 2 a.m. closures

Gov. Mike DeWine announced the statewide curfew has been lifted after expiring at noon today allowing bars and restaurants to resume normal operating hours.

It had limited the hours restaurants and bars can be open to serve customers in-person since Nov. 19.

The curfew had been extended several times throughout the holiday season as the state saw a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, however since mid-December active hospitalizations have been on a steady decline.

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On Thursday, the state reported 1,862 active hospitalizations across the state, with 148 of those coming in the Miami Valley region.

The governor announced that if the state could maintain seven straight days under 2,500 hospitalizations that the curfew would be lifted. With Thursday’s hospitalization numbers, the state has had 10 straight days under that number.

DeWine has said the curfew could return again if the hospitalizations begin to spike again in the state.

Last month, the Governor announced his plan to scale back the curfew. In Late January, the health department scaled back the curfew from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. after the state maintained under 3,500 hospitalizations for seven straight days.

Cox Media Group