Harris County’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus left open “essential businesses,” where residents buy their food, including supermarkets, restaurants, convenience stories and gas stations.

It also included a more curious exemption: liquor stores.

Denver’s ill-fated attempt to close them this week resulted in a run on alcohol, creating crowds public health experts say can easily spread the virus. The mayor reversed course after three hours.

The local order, said Dr. Sherri Onyiego of Harris County Public Health, left liquor stores open for different health reason — to avoid a spike in residents flooding hospitals with symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Onyiego said limiting unnecessary hospital visits is crucial to freeing beds for coronavirus patients who need intensive care.

“We know individuals that have a diagnosis of alcoholism, or even individuals who are perpetual users, if that’s taken away from them, it can lead to a life-threatening medical emergency,” she said.

Johns Hopkins University psychiatrist Dr. Paul Nestadt, who treats patients with substance abuse disorders, said withdrawal from alcohol is worse than from heroin or cocaine. He said people may not realize they are susceptible to withdrawal unless they suddenly lost access to alcohol.

“The flood of alcohol detox patients we would see, if liquor stores were suddenly closed, would be an overwhelming surge at exactly the wrong time,” Nestadt said.

Dr. Michael Weaver, a professor of psychiatry specializing in addiction with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, said at a time when the health care system is bracing for a surge in virus cases, he said ensuring access to alcohol prevents an even worse outcome — a strategy physicians call harm reduction.

“For those that already have problems related to that, you don’t want a preventable situation to develop where people go into withdrawal and require additional medical resources,” Weaver said.

Harris County is not alone.

Eleven other Texas counties had issued similar orders as of Wednesday evening. All allowed liquor stores to stay open.

Liquor stores in Houston reported a sharp increase in business last week, after Harris County and the city of Houston ordered bars and clubs closed and limited restaurants to takeout and delivery.

Bill Dean, a clerk at Oasis Liquor in Cypress, said business was brisk on Tuesday, the day before the order went into effect and residents prepared to hunker down. He said liquor stores offer customers an alternative to crowded grocery stores if they just want to purchase wine or beer.

“A lot of people know they’re not going to their local watering hole; whether they have one beer or three beers a night, they don’t have that option,” Dean said.

Houston-area breweries also rely on retail sales to survive, said Texas Craft Brewers Guild Executive Director Charles Vallhonrat, especially since the stay-at-home order has closed taprooms. He said some residents may want a beer to relieve stress as daily life has so quickly changed.

“People are accustomed to blowing off steam or relaxing, and whatever that product is, that’s what they’re going to look for and consider essential,” Vallhonrat said.

Onyiego, the county health department doctor, said residents should not view the liquor store exemption as an invitation to drink as they work for home or mourn being laid off.

During this stay-at-home period, which will last until at least next Friday, Onyiego said residents who feel cooped up should exercise and make other healthy choices instead of abusing alcohol.

“There are a lot more things people can do to channel that energy in a positive way,” she said. “We’re not restricting people going out in the neighborhoods, or to parks, provided we don’t want them to it in a crowded setting.”

Workers and employers deluged the county with phone calls Wednesday, seeking clarity on which businesses could remain open, First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard said. Some wondered why firms like furniture and sporting goods stores were classified as essential.

Soard said the order generally allows retail businesses to stay open if they are likely to be able to enforce social distancing among customers. He said the county is open to amending the order as officials monitor how effective it is in preventing residents from gathering together.

zach.despart@chron.com