Ohio is cutting off liquor sales to out-of-state residents in counties bordering Pennsylvania, a response to “repeated instances” of Pennsylvanians going to Ohio solely to buy liquor, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
“Any other time, we’d love to have visitors from PA, but right now this creates an unacceptable public health issue,” DeWine tweeted Monday afternoon. The order went into effect at 2 p.m., designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Stores in Ashtabula, Belmont, Columbiana, Jefferson, Mahoning and Trumbull counties will be permitted to sell liquor only to Ohio residents. Each of those counties directly borders Pennsylvania or is split from Pennsylvania only by the West Virginia panhandle.
To purchase liquor in those counties, a buyer must show one of the following:
• A valid Ohio ID
• A valid military ID
• Other valid non-Ohio ID showing that person is in compliance with health department orders
If someone with a non-valid Ohio ID can show mail with their name and Ohio address on it, a bill with their name and Ohio address on it or a letter from an employer saying they are in Ohio as an essential employee, they will be allowed to purchase liquor in those counties.
What does the Ohio Department of Health’s Order regarding in-person purchasing of spirituous liquor mean for you? pic.twitter.com/LlxIyDD6Zy
— Oh. Liquor Control (@OhioLiquor) April 13, 2020
The order comes less than two weeks after Monongalia County in West Virginia barred out-of-state residents from purchasing liquor to try to limit the spread of coronavirus. Brooke and Hancock counties issued similar orders soon after.
It also comes amid issues with Pennsylvania’s online liquor sales, which began April 1. Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores closed March 17, by order of Gov. Tom Wolf.
The state store website has been limiting its activity to ensure it can fulfill orders, and that has led to frustration among consumers, who often are shown a message saying they cannot purchase liquor at this time.
Pennsylvania announced 17 more coronavirus-related deaths Monday, bringing the state total to 524. There have been 24,199 cases in the state.
Ohio has seen 6,975 cases and 274 deaths.
