UPDATE: NY, NJ & CT governors shutting businesses to slow COVID-19 spread

Govs. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, Ned Lamont of Connecticut and Phil Murphy of New Jersey in a conference call this morning announced coordinated restrictions on business activity in the three states effective at 8 Monday night in a joint effort to help stem the spread of COVID-19.

There will be mandatory closings of restaurants, bars, movie theaters, fitness centers, casinos and racetracks along with a ban on “parties” of more than 50 people. Tribal-owned casinos are exempt from the rule, but Cuomo and Lamont said they hoped the Indian nations would be cooperative and do what’s best by closing voluntarily.  Supermarkets and gas stations are not affected by the rule. Nonessential travel is being discouraged between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., but there is no ban on travel.

Restaurants would be permitted to provide take-out orders.

The governors said that the fact that many bars and restaurants were busy over the weekend made their move even more imperative.

“If we do this on a regional basis we’re going to get through it,” Lamont said.

School cafeterias will remain open to provide meals for children in need, he said.

“The faster and better societies close down, the sooner they get better,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said that no date to allow reopening of the businesses had been set, but that the three states would try to coordinate reopening efforts.

“We’re coming together not just as towns, cities and states but increasingly as a region,” Lamont said.

He also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the federal government’s actions during the crisis.

“The feds have been asleep at the wheel,” he said. “They’ve been slow on the draw.”

Lamont said that the state is working with telecommunications providers to help boost capacity of the internet and do away with data caps to allow more internet traffic.

The governors also said they expect to reach out to other states ”“ including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island ”“ to broaden the regional approach.

Cuomo also said it is uncertain whether the mandatory closures can legally be applied to Native American-owned casinos in New York and Connecticut. One tribe, the Oneida Nation in central New York, said it will shut down its three casinos at 5 p.m. today.

“I think they’ll do the right thing,” Lamont said.

Online betting will still be allowed.

NEW CANAAN GETS HEAD START ON CLOSURES
Ahead of this morning’s declarations, New Canaan Director of Health Jen Eielson has officially prohibited all in-restaurant and outside service, according to Emergency Management Director Mike Handler. “We strongly support and encourage local restaurant curbside pickup and delivery,” Handler, who recently resigned as Stamford”™s CFO to join Building and Land Technology”™s (BLT) executive committee, said in a statement.

All grocery stores and gas stations will remain open, Handler said, as will pharmacies ”“ though in the latter”™s case, the town will join pharmacies”™ efforts at maintaining social distancing at prescription drug counters.

In addition, all commercial gyms, fitness centers, and the New Canaan Playhouse movie theater will be closed. Playgrounds will also be closed, although the town”™s parks will remain open “and we encourage their use provided people are not gathering in groups,” Handler said.

Hair and nail salons must operate by appointment only. All the moves are in effect until further notice.

Handler further noted that “there are many rumors circulating that involve specific businesses and individuals. Please remember that this type of behavior, while commonplace, is distracting to our team and destructive to our community. We trust we can count on everyone to be sensitive and compassionate in this time of stress.”

Last week, an elderly New Canaan resident was the third person in Connecticut to be officially diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Also, a popular seafood spot in Norwalk has closed after a patron tested positive for the coronavirus, while New Canaan has banned all in-restaurant dining effective today.

Rowayton Seafood Fish Market initially shut its bar after a customer who visited it on March 6 tested positive for COVID-19, but has now closed its entire restaurant as well until further notice. No employees have shown symptoms of the virus, the restaurant said.

The restaurant”™s fish market will remain open for seafood and to-go orders, and hopes to resume all operations as soon as it is safe to do so.

NUVANCE LIMITS HOSPITAL VISITS
Nuvance Health has announced that no visitors are allowed at any of its hospitals or health facilities until further notice.

In New York, its hospitals include Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, Northern Dutchess hospital in Rhinebeack and Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel. In Connecticut, its hospitals are Danbury Hospital, Sharon Hospital, New Milford Hospital and Norwalk Hospital. 

Exceptions are for active labor and delivery (one support person); pediatric, NICU and nursery (two parents/guardians per patient per day); and extenuating circumstances, including end-of-life care.

Of the visitors allowed in the hospitals, they will be screened for risk factors of COVID-19.

Additional reporting by Kevin Zimmerman.