(Photo by Alem Sánchez/Pexels)DETROIT, Mich. - The coronavirus is shaking up America's liquor laws.At least 33 states and the District of Columbia are temporarily allowing cocktails to-go during the pandemic.
Only two -- Florida and Mississippi -- allowed them on a limited basis before coronavirus struck, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.Struggling restaurants say it's a lifeline, letting them rehire bartenders, pay rent and reestablish relationships with customers.
But others want states to slow down, saying the decades-old laws help ensure public safety.Julia Momose closed Kumiko, her Japanese-style cocktail bar in Chicago, on March 16.