South Carolina becomes latest state to close bars and restaurants

South Carolina became the latest state to suspend dine-in service for restaurants and bars Tuesday, with Gov. Henry McMaster (R) ordering closures to begin Wednesday.

“Restaurants and bars must close their dine-in service starting tomorrow, starting tomorrow morning,” McMaster said in a statement. “It is allowed and recommended that takeout, curbside delivery of food….all that be increased, enhance.”

McMaster also issued orders prohibiting public events over 50 people in publicly owned places, extending state tax deadlines for individuals and businesses to June 1 for both filing and payments and allowing the National Guard to coordinate with hospitals for mobile facilities, WBTV reported.

The governor’s office also issued a series of requests, including that grocery stores limit customer purchases of disinfectants and paper products and implement so-called senior hours to allow elderly, at-risk customers to shop.

McMaster also asked medical and surgical facilities in the state to impose a 72-hour moratorium on elective surgeries and asked insurers to pay 100 percent of the costs for coronavirus-related office visits and asked for all private employers to give workers the option to work remotely.

The Palmetto State announced its first coronavirus death Monday. A total of 47 cases across 13 counties have been confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon.