The Democratic governor said Friday that restaurants and bars can now remain open until 11 p.m. Sunday. The state’s restaurant industry insisted on releasing the previous cut, which was 10 p.m.
“By slowing down the evening clock, the managers can comfortably seat guests at 9 p.m., bringing in things that were cut off earlier,” Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, said in a statement.
The announcement follows one that said earlier this week that restaurants in New York could reopen the indoor dining room with 25% capacity from Friday to go along with the existing outdoor dining room. Indoor eating has been banned since mid-December when COVID-19 cases began to increase.
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Cuomo said industry groups representing restaurateurs have called for the ban on indoor dining to be lifted in February to enforce them on Valentine’s Day. He also allowed the city of New York and provinces to vaccinate restaurant workers, although many provincial managers say they do not have the necessities.
“If we suppress the infections and increase vaccinations, we will continue to stay in the footsteps of this invisible enemy,” Cuomo said.
Although the weakening of restrictions is a step in the right direction for many pubs and restaurants, some wonder if it is too little.
“We may currently have 18.5 people inside, and it’s not going to pay rent, it’s not going to pay for your electricity and it’s not going to pay for the staff either,” said bar and restaurant owner Lauren Brie Lynch.
As the restrictions on eateries in New York eased on Friday, parts of the city are seeing signs of upheaval: the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island collectively have about 2,550 new businesses each day during the seven days to Thursday. This is 16% higher than the previous seven days.
Cuomo announced this week that large arenas and stadiums could reopen inside and outside with 10% capacity, despite concerns from public health experts about the safety of large indoor gatherings where people talk loudly and eat. He said the state will allow marriage to 150 guests with COVID-19 tests until March 15, although provinces 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 had dropped to 3.46%, the lowest since November 25. The 7-day average positivity rate of the state also dropped to 3.90%, which is the first time the rate has fallen below 4% since November. 30.
In addition, the state also reported a decrease in hospitalizations to 6,888. Unfortunately, 125 deaths were reported.
State health officials said New York has seen an overall decline in cases since a peak in January, but noted that COVID-19 is still widespread. More than half a million people have tested positive in New York so far this year, while hospitals and nursing homes report that nearly 6,700 people have died.
“People do not necessarily think I understand how much COVID we’ve seen in the fall and winter of the past year, and how bad we still are,” said Byron Backenson, acting director of the Department of Health’s Communicable Diseases Bureau. in New York. , said Thursday in an online discussion with state health care providers.
New York has the second highest number of new COVID-19 cases per capita in the country in the past seven days, according to South Carolina, according to data collected by The Associated Press.
And while much of the country is seeing double-digit declines in 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 The COVID Tracking Project.
Cuomo stressed that the numbers of New Yorkers reflect that they test more than any other state. According to AP data, New York reported the fifth-highest level of test results per 100,000 residents and the second-highest number of test results after California.
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