Subway will be full time and capacity restrictions will be removed (but some quasi-restrictions will remain) in New York in a few weeks.

Gothamist 

 Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he wanted New York City to fully reopen by July 1st for what he dubbed the "Summer of New York." But today, Governor Andrew Cuomo trumped him by announcing that most capacity restrictions for businesses, restaurants and cultural venues would be lifted by May 19th.

Cuomo said that this announcement, which was being made in parallel with the governors across the tri-state area, will affect retail stores, gyms and fitness centers, amusement parks, hair salons and barber shops, offices, Broadway theaters, museums, restaurants and bars. He added that individual venues and businesses could make their own decisions about whether they are ready to reopen in May—most Broadway shows, for instance, won't be able to resume productions immediately, but the option is there.

For all these businesses, the CDC's six foot social distancing guidance is still in effect, but if a gathering or venue can prove that all individuals present are fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative COVID test, then the six foot rule doesn't need to apply. The exception to this is if restaurants put up physical barriers between tables, in which case they don't need to worry about the six foot rule.

"So it's six feet, but if you say, I'm only going to allow press in the room who are fully vaccinated, I'm only going to allow people in the restaurant who are fully vaccinated or just took a negative test, then you can go above the six feet," Cuomo explained. He noted that if the CDC changes their recommendation, New York will reassess the six foot rule as well.

Cuomo went on to note that because of this rule, individual businesses could better incentivize people to get vaccinated — venue operators, he suggested, could allow more seats for vaccinated people, who would not be subjected to the six-foot rule, while those who are unvaccinated would still need to socially distance.

Cuomo previously announced that indoor dining would be expanded to 75% capacity in New York City, bringing the city in line with the rest of the state, starting May 7th. Per today's announcement, it will expand to 100% capacity as of May 19th. The midnight curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining beginning May 17th and for indoor dining beginning May 31st.

The indoor catered gathering limit will increase to 250 people, or 500 with negative COVID testing or proof of vaccination, as of May 19th. Residential gathering limits will increase to 50 people as of that date as well.

According to the state, venues that host live arts and entertainment can exceed social gathering limits of 500 people outdoors and 250 indoors "if all attendees over the age of four present either proof of full vaccination status or recent negative COVID-19 test result and the required social distancing can be accommodated."

Outdoor large stadiums and arenas—such as Citi Field and Yankee Stadium—will increase to 33% capacity as of May 19th, but Cuomo said they are looking to expand that.

Cuomo also announced that in conjunction with the reopening of New York, 24-hour subway service will resume as of May 17th for the first time since the early days of the pandemic.

"We think there's a moment of opportunity here, and we're going to build a totally different New York. We're going to reimagine it, we're going to renew it, it's going to be a New York that never existed before," Cuomo said about the post-pandemic revival. "We're going to fix a lot of the things that we should have fixed all along, and it can be a moment for a New York renaissance."

Liquor in the front, face masks in the rear

 

 Gothamist

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that a pair of pandemic restrictions affecting New York restaurants and bars will end next month: the midnight food and beverage curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining beginning May 17th and for indoor dining beginning May 31st. In addition, seating at bars will be allowed again in NYC starting May 3rd.

Cuomo said in a statement that this was a result of New Yorkers getting vaccinated and complying with pandemic guidelines.

"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," Cuomo said. "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."

Cuomo also announced that the 1 a.m. curfew for catered events (where attendees have provided proof of vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result) will be lifted beginning May 17th, with the curfew for all catered events set to be lifted May 31st. Catered events will also be able to resume at residences beginning May 3rd.

“New York City’s restaurants and bars have been financially devastated by COVID-19 restrictions and it’s great news that the state will finally undo the barstool ban and lift the arbitrary midnight curfew," said Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. "These outdated policies made it too difficult for too many small business owners and workers to support themselves and their families, and were a grave inconvenience to customers. Lifting these restrictions is an important step forward for restaurants and bars across New York City, and we will continue working with the state to safely and completely reopen our hospitality industry, bring back jobs and sustain vital small businesses.” 

That isn't all: another Cuomo executive order that required restaurants and bars to serve food with alcohol is expected to be repealed by the NY State Senate and Assembly on Wednesday.

“Good riddance. Governor Cuomo never explained why this rule made New Yorkers any safer from COVID-19, and it’s great to see the Legislature easing the burden on struggling bars and restaurants. Face masks and social distancing are what stop the spread – not chips and salsa,” said Mitch Schwartz, spokesperson for the mayor's office.

Gov. Cuomo is about to lift pandemic restrictions on restaurants

  

Patch

 A long-awaited plan to reopen indoor dining in New York City could be served later this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

The New York City-only ban on indoor dining amid coronavirus fears has created difficulties for its restaurant industry, Cuomo acknowledged on Wednesday.

He said he'll be talking with local officials and restaurant leaders about potentially reopening and what percent capacity.

"We'll have an announcement by the end of the week but we're looking at going back to the 25 percent… would be the question and how and when you do that," he said.

The coming reopening plan came as welcome news to Andrew Rigie, executive director for the NYC Hospitality Alliance, a restaurant industry group that has pushed for bringing back indoor dining.

Rigie, in a statement, argued that limited occupancy indoor dining has been a "minor factor" for spreading the coronavirus. Instead, the full shutdown has permanently shuttered thousands of bars and restaurants and put more than 140,000 New Yorkers out of work, he said.

"We're happy that Governor Cuomo heard the voice of New York City's decimated restaurant industry and we look forward to working towards a plan that hopefully reopens indoor dining soon," he said. "As the Governor acknowledged, it's paramount these decisions are based on data. And, because New York City has lower infection and hospitalization rates than nearly all counties in the rest of the state where indoor dining is open at 50% occupancy, our city's restaurants must be treated equitably and reopened safely."

 

Queens Patch 

 

 Color-coded coronavirus cluster "zones" will disappear across the state, after a drop in COVID-19 cases following the post-holiday spike, but Forest Hills will still be subject to yellow-zone restrictions.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday he would eliminate nearly all of New York State's COVID-19 cluster zones and their associated restrictions. Among the five zones not included: the yellow zone that covers a swath of Western and Central Queens.

Yellow "precautionary" zones are the third tier of Cuomo's cluster action initiative to tackle local coronavirus spikes, with orange zones bearing even tighter restrictions and red zones drawing the most severe measures.

Under the "yellow zone" designation, restaurants may offer indoor and outdoor dining with a maximum of four people per table, gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed and houses of worship can operate at 50-percent capacity. Schools must conduct 20-percent weekly testing of in-person students and faculty.

 

 

 

 

Governor Cuomo mandates 10 P.M. curfew for bars, restaurants and gyms

Gothamist 

Bars and restaurants with liquor licenses will be required to close at 10 p.m., along with gyms, and all indoor gatherings at private residences will be capped at ten people, under new statewide coronavirus restrictions announced on Wednesday by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Staten Island will also face additional lockdown measures, the governor said.

"Bars, restaurants, gyms, house parties — that's where it's coming from, primarily," Cuomo told reporters. "If these measures aren't sufficient to slow the spread, we will turn the valve more," he added, referring to additional restrictions.

The new orders come as COVID cases and hospitalizations across the country have skyrocketed to levels not seen since spring. Earlier on Wednesday, New York City reported its highest number of daily infections since May.

The statewide positive test rate was 2.9 percent, and 1,628 people were in the hospital with the virus as of Wednesday. "What were are seeing is what they predicted for months," the governor said.

NYS is taking action to stop the spread in response to rising COVID numbers.

Any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close at 10pm.

Gyms must also close at 10pm.

These new statewide rules will take effect Friday, 10pm.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 11, 2020