The state of California has loosened regulations for the consumption and sale of alcohol amid a statewide lockdown of residents amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control department is now allowing the sale of to-go orders of alcohol, including offering drive-through pickups.
“People need some sort of distraction — they need something fun. I just want people to be able to get drunk in their homes!” bar owner Christ Aivaliotis told the San Francisco Chronicle.
The temporarily relaxed restrictions are capped at 2.25 liters per customer per day, according to the Chronicle.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “stay at home” order last week. Most bars, restaurants, and gatherings of more than 10 people have been shuttered.
“This is not a permanent state, this is a moment in time,” he said. “We will look back at these decisions as pivotal,” Newsom said.
More than 1,500 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in California, leading to 27 deaths as of Sunday.
