Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said bars in the state could face consequences if they don’t enforce social distancing among patrons.
Photos taken Friday of bars in Columbus showed crowds packed into outdoor patios, and patrons did not appear to be wearing masks.
“I saw those images very early. We had people there last night. The good news is, the ownership, the people running the bar, seemed to get control of it last night. We didn’t have to issue any citations. We did issue a citation for another bar in Columbus,” DeWine told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.
“Candidly, we’ve worked with the attorney general,” he added. “We’re going to do whatever we have to do if these things are, in fact, [occurring] across Ohio.”
Bars and restaurants with outdoor seating were allowed to reopen in the state on Friday. On Saturday, DeWine’s office said businesses that ignored safety guidelines were being “irresponsible.” His press secretary acknowledged that there were many establishments following safeguards to prevent the spread of the coronavirus but said the governor’s office would take action against those that did not.
“Those who operate their businesses while disregarding safety guidelines, designed to protect the health of their customers and all Ohioans, are being irresponsible and need to understand that these guidelines will be enforced,” the statement said.
