Sinaloa has become the second state to enact a dry law to prohibit sales of beer, wine and spirits due to the Covid-19 emergency.

Governor Quirino Ordaz made the announcement in a video posted to his Twitter account on Sunday, justifying the measure as a means “to avoid people continuing to get together in large concentrations in their homes” during the Easter Week holiday.

“Just imagine if we had thousands and thousands of people on the beaches, with people who neither feel nor know they are sick. This would have generated a really regrettable situation for all Sinaloans in the next few weeks,” he said.

Still, there are some who continue to gather for family and private events which, Ordaz said “shouldn’t happen, because we have to protect your health and that of our community.”

He also announced that restaurants in the cities of Culiacán and Navolato will be closed to diners. Only take-out and delivery service will be allowed.

Fears of increased rates of domestic violence and alcohol’s popularity among gatherings of people have prompted a number of state and local governments across the country to restrict alcohol sales in one way or another during the Covid-19 crisis.

Tabasco is the only other state to restrict all sales of alcohol.

Ordaz said the suspension of alcohol sales is indefinite and would take effect today (Monday).

“It will be until further notice as we go along watching the numbers, how they change, how they improve,” he said, assuring citizens that the decision was made “because we have to take care of you.”

Sinaloa currently has 236 confirmed and 246 possible cases of Covid-19, and 26 people in the state have died as a result of infection.

Source: Eje Central (sp)