Raleigh mayor bans late-night alcohol sales amid pandemic

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A North Carolina mayor has banned alcohol sales after 11 p.m. in an effort to curb the coronavirus spread.

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin signed an executive order Monday announcing the sale ban in bars, restaurants and grocery stores.

The curfew will be from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. and will take effect Wednesday.

According to the order, social distancing and face covering requirements weren’t being followed at restaurants and other businesses in the evening and early morning hours.

Baldwin said the curfew could reduce the spread of COVID-19 and “reduce the number of people, especially young people, gathering without masks.”