Cuomo imposes new rules for bars, restaurants
All bars and restaurants in New York state will have to comply with new regulations as a result of instances in which people were allowed to crowd together, without masks, in New York City establishments.
During a conference call today in which the Business Journal took part, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the bars and restaurants statewide will now be allowed to only serve alcohol to people who are ordering and eating food. In addition, patrons will not be allowed to stand at bars and drink and that all service at bar tops must only be for seated patrons who are socially distanced by six feet or separated by physical barriers.
Cuomo said that bars and restaurants in New York City that fail to comply with the state’s social distancing and face covering orders and receive three violations will be closed. The new compliance initiative is called “Three Strikes and You’re Closed.”
Cuomo said that the most egregious flouting of the regulations can result in the immediate loss of a liquor license or closure before a third strike. He said that the state would take similar action in other parts of the state if it becomes aware of noncompliance as bad as what has been reported in New York City.
Cuomo said that a decision will be made tomorrow on whether the city will be allowed on Monday to begin Phase Four of the reopening plan. If there is a go-ahead, it would include a prohibition against additional indoor activity at malls and cultural institutions.
“We need to remember our success fighting this virus is a function of our own actions,” Cuomo said. “Mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing, basic as they may seem, are critical to controlling the spread of this virus. Especially now that we are seeing spikes in cases throughout the country, this is not the time to let up.”
Cuomo said the state has been involved in putting together a series of public service announcements encouraging the wearing of masks. He said the TV spots will be distributed nationwide by the Ad Council.
The governor said there has been 92% compliance with the requirement that travelers to New York from designated states with high infection rates fill out a form providing contact information, either online or on paper, when they enter the state. They’re supposed to self-quarantine for two weeks. Cuomo said the state is conducting random checks by visiting contact addresses given to see if people really are in self-quarantine. He did not report any early results of those checks.
Cuomo announced that New York has come to the aid of hard-hit Houston by setting up two COVID-19 testing sites in churches there. The state sent 20 health care workers and public health experts to Houston and has also provided testing supplies.
Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner was on the conference call and expressed thanks for the sites that can handle 1,000 tests a day.
Cuomo said that yesterday there were 14 more deaths from COVID-19 in New York state. None of them was in the Hudson Valley. The total death toll in New York state has been 25,014.
Of the 72,685 tests for the virus conducted in the state yesterday, 769 were positive.
The state has had a total of 404,775 confirmed cases of COVID-19. In Westchester there have been 35,422 total cases, with 13,763 in Rockland, 1,385 in Putnam, 10,895 in Orange, and 4,357 in Dutchess.
During the conference call, Cuomo expressed alarm at the hacking of Twitter and breaking into the accounts of such high profile people as Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Gates.
“The Twitter hack and widespread takeover of verified Twitter accounts is deeply troubling and raises concerns about the cybersecurity of our communications systems, which are critical as we approach the upcoming presidential election,” Cuomo said. “Twitter is a primary source of news for many, making it a target for bad actors.”
He said he is ordering the state’s Department of Financial Services to lead an investigation into the attack with an eye to taking any necessary actions to help protect the integrity of the upcoming elections.