The midnight curfew for food and beverage service establishments in New York state will be lifted on May 17 for outdoor dining and May 31 for indoor dining.
The 1 a.m. curfew for all catered events will also be lifted May 31, although it will be earlier, May 17, for any catered event at which all attendees have been vaccinated or recently tested negative for Covid-19.
Along with the announcement of the end of the curfew, Gov. Andrew also said that beginning May 3, patrons in New York City will be allowed to sit at bars again.
“We know the Covid positivity rate is a function of our behavior, and over the last year New Yorkers have remained disciplined and continued with the practices we know work to stop the spread of the virus,” Cuomo said.
“Everything we’ve been doing is working ”“ all the arrows are pointing in the right direction and now we’re able to increase economic activity even more. Lifting these restrictions for restaurants, bars and catering companies will allow these businesses that have been devastated by the pandemic to begin to recover as we return to a new normal in a post-pandemic world.”
Capacity limits for facilities in other industries have also been increased. Outside of New York City, gyms that were previously capped at 33% capacity will now be allowed up to 50% capacity. Casinos and gaming facilities will increase from 25% to 50%, and offices will be allowed to reach 75% capacity, up from the previous 50% allowance.
The state Legislature is also at work scaling down some of Cuomo’s Covid-related executive orders.
On Wednesday, the state Senate and Assembly will vote to end the mandate that food sales are required with any alcoholic beverage sale, further lessening restrictions on restaurants and bars as the number of Covid cases trend downward in the state as a whole and as larger proportions of the population get vaccinated.
Real great for the restaurants that closed already. The over reaching of power is sickening.