Cuomo reinstates NYC indoor dining ban to limit virus spread
At ilili, a spacious Lebain everyone’s interest to get nese-Mediterranean restauthe virus under control, NEW YORK — Indoor rant in Manhattan, owner don’t overwhelm the hospidining at New York City Philippe Massoud said the tals, don’t overwhelm the restaurants will be banned indoor dining shutdown positivity rate.“again in an effort to halt will likely shrink revenues The decision comes as the coronavirus resurto 8 percent to 15 percent wintery weather has startgence, Gov. Andrew of normal in the best case ed to arrive in New York Cuomo said Friday in an scenario. City, where the outdoor announcement that could “It’s going to be very, dining setups on sidewalks foretell a grim winter for very difficult,” said Masand in tents on the street one of the city’s most imsoud, who’s originally from are likely to be far less portant industries. Lebanon. “I lived through popular amid icy winds
As of Monday, only take14 years of civil war, so it’s and, sometimes, blowing out orders and outdoor going to take a lot to exsnow. dining will be allowed in tinguish me. But this is Public health experts the city, one of the world’s very trying.” have repeatedly warned great cuisine capitals, the Massoud worried that that indoor dining — pargovernor said at a news another shutdown may ticularly in small, crowded conference in Albany. make New York City unrestaurants where individ
The Democrat had been tenable for restaurant uals are drinking and can hinting at a clampdown on workers who are suffering take off masks when not indoor dining for a week, financially, and for customeating — poses a risk for saying he was waiting to ers questioning whether airborne transmission. The see if hospitalization rates the Big Apple is worth it. U.S. Centers for Disease stabilized. They have not. “If you can’t eat out in Control and Prevention Nearly 1,700 patients are the city and you can’t have recently described such now hospitalized in the a semblance of life, why indoor dining as “high city with COVID-19 inare you going to be in the risk.” fections, triple the number city?” he wonders. “When Other places have also a month ago. social life and dining-out clamped down, like Penn
Cuomo said that despite life is extinguished in the sylvania, which announced the economic pain to the city, it’s no longer a city.” Thursday that indoor dincity’s roughly 24,000 resThe governor’s order ing would be banned starttaurants and their legions came despite opposition ing this weekend. of workers, he needed to from the beleaguered resNew York’s restaurants act. taurant industry, which have been in trouble since
“In New York City, you warned of holiday season the state closed nonessenput the CDC caution on layoffs at a time when the tial businesses in March, indoor dining together federal government has yet which forced restaurants to with the rate of transmisto pass additional COrely on takeout and delivsion and the density ery.andVID-19relief. the crowding, that is a bad “It will be the last straw As that shutdown was situation,” he said, adding for countless more restaugradually lifted for many that the shutdown will be rants and jobs,“said Antypes of businesses, restauevaluated again after two drew Rigie, executive dirants remained restricted. weeks. rector of the NYC HospiThe state began allowing
New York City Mayor tality Alliance. “The reindoor dining in some Bill de Blasio said he supstrictions begin on Monday regions outside of New ported Cuomo’s decision. with zero economic supYork City in June, and
“This is painful. So port for small businesses Cuomo allowed indoor many restaurants are that are already struggling dining at 25 percent capacstruggling. But we can’t to survive.“ity in the city Sept. 30. In allow this virus to reassert Cuomo acknowledged other parts of the state, itself in our city,“he said the hardship restaurants restaurants are allowed to on Twitter. were facing, but said, “It’s have half their tables filled.