New York State has rejected temporarily lifting the outdoor dining curfew for Saturday night's Bills game.

Petitioners asked the state to extend dining beyond the Orange Zone restrictions that call for closing at 10 p.m. The Buffalo Bills game begins at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday.

This means bars and restaurants will have to close before the game is finished.

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The game will likely end after 11:30 p.m.

The Buffalo News reports that keeping the rule in place is a Covid-19 safety precaution:

“The fact is the CDC has specifically pointed to indoor dining as a higher-risk activity, and this policy is a commonsense way to reduce the risk of exposure," DOH spokesman Jeffrey Hammond said in an email, referring to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

"As much as we feel for restaurants in Buffalo and as much as we want to let fans watch the game at bars, we won’t sacrifice public health.”

The dining curfew, which bans service between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., went into effect on Nov. 11. Establishments can remain open for curbside pickup and delivery of food, but alcohol sales are prohibited.

Businesses on Chippewa were hoping to have another "Playoffs on the Patios" event. The ruling by the State would prevent that.

You probably know about Chris Berman and Wolf Blitzer, but here are 15 celebrities that are supporters of the Buffalo Bills, courtesy of New York Upstate.com

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