The Democratic governor said on Friday that restaurants and bars will be able to remain open until 11pm starting Sunday. The state restaurant industry pressed to weaken the previous limit, which was 22.00
“Weakening the heel will allow operators to comfortably seat guests at 9 p.m., bringing businesses that were previously discontinued,” Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York Restaurant Association, said in a statement.
The announcement comes after one earlier this week said that restaurants in New York City could reopen the indoor restaurant to a 25% capacity starting Friday to go along with existing outdoor restaurants. The indoor mass has been banned since mid-December, when COVID-19 cases began to increase.
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Cuomo said industry groups representing restaurateurs called for a ban on indoor dining in February to allow them to cash in on Valentine’s Day. He also allowed New York City and counties across the state to vaccinate restaurant workers, although many county executives say they have no supplies.
“If we keep infections low and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the race against this invisible enemy,” Cuomo said.
While relaxing restrictions is a step in the right direction for many bars and restaurants, some are wondering if it’s too little too late.
“Currently we are allowed to have 18.5 people inside and that will not pay the rent, will not pay your electricity and will not pay the staff,” said bar and restaurant owner Lauren Brie Lynch.
As New York City’s dining restrictions eased on Friday, parts of the city are showing signs of growth: the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island had an average of about 2,580 new cases each day in the seven days to Thursday. . It increased by 16% compared to the previous seven days.
Cuomo announced this week that large indoor and outdoor arenas and stadiums could be reopened with a 10% capacity, despite concerns from public health experts about the safety of large indoor gatherings where people can speak out. and eat. He said the state will allow up to 150 weddings with COVID-19 tests by March 15, although counties and wedding venues are still awaiting state guidance.
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Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that the state’s daily COVID positivity rate fell to 3.46%, the lowest since November 25. The state’s 7-day average positivity rate also fell to 3.90%, marking for the first time that the rate has fallen below 4% since November. 30.
In addition, the state reported a drop in hospitalizations to 6,888. Unfortunately, 125 deaths were reported.
State health officials say New York has seen a general decline in cases since the peak in mid-January, but warns that COVID-19 is still widespread. More than half a million people have tested positive so far this year in New York, while hospitals and nursing homes have reported nearly 6,700 deaths.
“People don’t necessarily think they understand how much COVID we saw last fall and winter and how bad we still are,” said Byron Backenson, director of the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Communicable Diseases. , said on Thursday in an online discussion with state health care providers.
New York now has the second highest number of new cases of COVID-19 per capita in the last seven days in the country, followed only by South Carolina, according to data collected by The Associated Press.
And while much of the country sees double-digit declines in the new COVID-19 cases, New York is among the 12 states where the seven-day average of new cases is roughly flat compared to seven days ago, according to COVID Tracking Project.
Cuomo pointed out that the figures in New York reflect the fact that it is doing more tests than any other state. New York reported the fifth highest level of test results per 100,000 residents, according to AP data, and the second highest number of test results after California.
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