Weakened Cuomo boosts dining option outside city
ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo signed legislation Sunday curbing his pandemic emergency powers as he prepares to increase dining capacity at restaurants outside New York City to 75%.
The governor, facing mounting criticism and calls for his resignation over sexual harassment allegations and the state’s handling of nursing home deaths, also vowed he was “not going to be distracted” in the fight against COVID.
“I’m signing today the Legislature’s emergency powers bill, and I’m going to implement it today,” Cuomo said during an afternoon call with reporters.
He added that he is going to make a “significant change” by allowing restaurants outside of the Big Apple to increase indoor dining capacity from 50% to 75% starting March 19.
The governor has lifted or relaxed a number of COVID-related directives in recent weeks as hospitalizations and cases decline across the Empire State and noted that neighboring Connecticut is going to allow restaurants to serve at full capacity soon.
“We also think that 75% is what the consumer is ready for,” Cuomo said of New York eateries.
New York City restaurants will remain at 35% capacity for the time being, he added.
The bill curbing Cuomo’s pandemic powers prevents him from issuing any new directives. However, it authorizes the governor to extend or modify already existing orders as long as he gives the Legislature or local authorities five days’ notice.
Cuomo noted that the daily positivity rate for the state dropped to 2.98% and 4,789 people remain hospitalized with COVID.
Another 59 people died from the virus statewide on Saturday, the lowest oneday count since Dec. 6.
Cuomo said that the state has so far administered more than 5.5 million total doses of COVID vaccines and is expected to get more than 850,000 shots in arms this week as the federal government ramps up supplies.
“Millions of New Yorkers have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and with the numbers remaining steady we are able to loosen the reopening valve more,” the governor said in a separate statement.
“We’re expanding our efforts to ensure equity in the vaccine distribution process by reaching underserved communities and working with local leaders, and the federal government is steadily increasing supply.”