CLEVELAND — During his Tuesday press conference, Gov. Mike DeWine said he would not allow a variance for bars and restaurants to stay open late next Sunday and Monday, despite the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State Buckeyes playing crucial postseason games.
Both teams play in prime time, with their games not starting until 8:30 p.m.
Under the state of Ohio's current curfew, all bars and restaurants have to close in-person dining at 10 p.m., meaning fans won't be able to stay past halftime to watch the game together.
DeWine has previously given a variance to First Energy Stadium and other stadiums for fans to be able to watch the games in person past the current curfew.
RELATED: Gov. DeWine issues variance allowing Browns to host fans for MNF despite statewide curfew
DeWine said that bars and restaurants are places where people can't wear masks and are able to spread coronavirus.
"Looks, there's nothing more that I would like to do than say, 'Let's have no restrictions on bars, everybody go back to normal.' I can't look at these numbers and say that we should expand the time when people can be together, crowd together in a bar or restaurant because in a bar and a restaurant, by definition, you cannot wear a mask, when you're drinking or when you're eating." DeWine said. "I understand that we have people hurting. I understand that we have great desire for people to be able to go to a bar and root on the Buckeyes or root on the Browns but that would simply add to the spread that we already have."
The state reported 7,580 new cases on Tuesday.
RELATED: Jan. 5: Ohio reports 7,580 new COVID-19 cases, 104 new deaths, 12,550 new vaccinations
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Rebound Northeast Ohio News 5's initiative to help people through the financial impact of the coronavirus by offering one place to go for information on everything available to help and how to access it. We're providing resources on:
Getting Back to Work - Learn about the latest job openings, how to file for benefits and succeed in the job market.
Making Ends Meet - Find help on topics from rent to food to new belt-tightening techniques.
Managing the Stress - Feeling isolated or frustrated? Learn ways to connect with people virtually, get counseling or manage your stress.
Doing What's Right - Keep track of the way people are spending your tax dollars and treating your community.
We're Open! Northeast Ohio is place created by News 5 to open us up to new ways of thinking, new ways of gathering and new ways of supporting each other.
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Ohio, a timeline of Governor Mike DeWine's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Northeast Ohio, and link to more information from the Ohio Department of Health, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the CDC and the WHO.
See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.
The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health are now recommending the use of cloth face coverings in public to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Read more about the CDC's recommendation here. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a face maskfrom common household materials, without having to know how to sew.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
