Nov. 19, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Indoor dining will likely end and gyms will likely close in the next week or two as New York City looks to combat a second wave of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday morning.
The closures will come if New York City enters a state-mandated “orange zone,” which would go into effect if the city breaches a seven-day average positivity rate of 3 percent for 10 days, as determined by the state.
De Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have both warned that the city is close to hitting that benchmark.
“The governor made clear yesterday that it’s just a matter of time before indoor dining will close,” de Blasio said, adding that he spoke at length with Cuomo yesterday.
De Blasio said it’s not a matter of ‘if’ the city will enter an orange zone, but ‘when.’
“It’s not ‘if,’ it’s ‘when’,” he said. “By any normal count — just looking at the state’s own number system — we’re talking a week or two before we’re in that orange zone status. I’m sorry to say that, but that’s the blunt truth.”
New York City will enter an orange zone if the seven-day rolling average positivity rate is above 3 percent by state metrics — which differ from city metrics — for 10 days.
Cuomo said the city was at a seven-day positivity rate of 2.5 percent during a press conference yesterday.
Orange zone restrictions — the midrange level among the state’s designated red, orange and yellow zones — mandate the closure of indoor dining and high-risk nonessential businesses like gyms and personal care services.
Houses of worship in orange zones are also capped at a third of their capacity and schools are closed — although de Blasio has already closed public schools due to the city metrics for the positivity rate hitting 3 percent.
“Those restrictions are coming,” the mayor warned. “It’s just a matter of time. It’s very likely going to be in the next week or two.”
85 Comments
Its black owned restaurant week in NYC. Please support black owned business. They have been hit the hardest by the pandemic and need community support more than ever.
who in their right mind would ask about someone’s skin color when at a restaurant? seriously, that’s as highly racist as it gets.
Is there a way to say “black owned business” that you wouldn’t be offended by so much?
What about hispanic?
Just stop mentioning color.
So I’d like to know HOW you expect people to support you???
Here is a wonderful article of black owned business in NYC if anyone is interested. Please call before visiting as some may have reduced hours or closed due to the pandemic.
https://ny.eater.com/2020/6/5/21281798/nyc-black-owned-restaurants-list-guide
The city made a big mistake by allowing outside tents and enclosures. Some places look like they expanded their indoor dining space by building out to the sidewalk. They look like enclosed porches (the type homeowners get fined for for not having permits). They offer a false sense of security. People are also to blame. I was at the doctors office waiting room and a man was literally holding an empty water cup with his teeth to make it look like he was drinking water so he can sit with his mask by his chin. I was going to say something but feared his reaction. And he sat to close to the receptionist for me to say something without him hearing me. He was a young looking man and i knew exactly what he was doing. I saw how the teens on the news beat up the 60 year old woman after she told them to wear a mask. Be careful everyone please.
What about outside shopping. I was looking forward to it. I thought merchandise was going to be placed outside. All i see is street vendors selling masks and sanitizers.
do you even live in nyc? who would risk their merchandise being easily stolen? there are more thieves now than ever before.
Republicans and Democrats agree (mostly), that we have a combination of the Worst combo of governor and mayor as a package deal in this country.
Pretty much a package of 2 oxygen thieves
They’re not really a package. Cuomo has done a great job, especially since our state was hit the hardest from the start of Covid. The Mayor is not in his league. I’m not a fan of Mr. Bill, but he’s at least trying.
Unlike our President, who golfs every chance he gets. And Republicans and Democrats can agree on that undisputed fact.
He has a right to a distraction as you do
Cuomo shoved the elderly into disease ridden nursing homes
He is awful and vindictive
Vindictive is a man with an orange pompadour who fires people for refusing to take a loyalty oath. Trump danced with the flag and called the virus a hoax in March. Over 265,000 Americans dead and 12 million infected. Have some pride and raise your standards.
Trump has a right to “distraction”, something he would never give to the previous president. What goes around comes around.
We need to keep moving forward with the shutting plan before more people get sick. Winter is here, there will be very few days people can sit outside for the next few months. Remember you can catch the flu very easily also. Stay home and safe!
I thought Cuomo said “I respect your right to party. I fully respect it. I would enshrine it in the state law, if you want to know. You have the right to party.” Its the holidays! Don’t be a scrooge Mr. Mayor.
He says a lot to please everyone. I think he will run for president one day and aoc will be his vp pick. He has a good chance if he continues to blame trump and Republicans for whatever is happening in ny even though we are highly a democratic state.
The red-state coronavirus surge resembles what’s happened in Brazil. More than two-thirds of new cases and deaths are happening in red states!! We are one of the lucky states.
We’re one of the smart states.
Does Andrew pay you to write his propaganda ? He killed the elderly in nursing homes and Manhattan is dead
Over three hundred thousand residents have fled snd more will leave
Tax base disappearing
And you think New York State is smart ?
You live in an alternate reality
Then there is that subway crime business
Hashtagger -You have it wrong yet again… Trump and Trumps failed and non existent policies killed those people. Fact! Trumps failure to keep the virus out of the country killed tourism and prevented people from being able to work in offices and causing us to work at home killing Midtown and Downtown Manhattan and every other commercial district in the country as well . Trump should have been implementing safety policies instead of dancing with the flag and calling the virus a hoax. Would you like a link to the video?
Trump did not mishandle the pandemic, he did exactly what Putin instructed him to do.
Trump still has 225,000 More American deaths and counting he can’t blame on Cuomo
Feel free not to take Trump vaccine since you support the Cuomo nursing home fiasco
The Trump vaccine made by Pfizer, a company that refused to take any federal money to research so they wouldn’t have to deal with a politicizing idiot? That vaccine? Or the one developed by Oxford university in England?
So how do you explain the schools immediate shuttering???
It’s call prevention. An ounce of it is worth a pound of cure
When the black, and hispanic communities continue to ignore the masking/distancing guidelines we will hear about the “racially disproportionate” effects of the virus and the tax money necessary to address “systematic racism” in our healthcare system. Never are behavior, obesity, and culture addressed as the main factors.
A lot of chefs are going to be garbage collectors and Starbucks baristas now. Its sad. But a job is a job.
Shutting things down obviously does not stop this virus (just like the masks). We just need the vaccine to hurry up and get released. That is all that will stop it.
Too bad we set the clocks back on November 1. Restaurants could have used an extra hour of sunlight to keep the outdoor temp a bit warmer now that indoor dining might be shuttered again. Who wants to venture out at 6:00 when it’s pitch dark, cold, and windy? Would love to support restaurants and wait staff by eating curbside, but it’s too cold. Will do pickup unless there’s a warm spell that makes outdoor dining more appealing.
I am sort of terrified of the heating lamps. Multiple cars have plowed into street seating in my neighborhood alone, which is another thing. Imagine a lava-hot lamp falling on your head. Nnnnopie nope nope.
When you restrict the Liberty of sick people its quarantine. When you restrict the Liberty of healthy people its tyranny.
?????
How are we suppose to keep our immune system healthy??? by sheltering in like lab rats , not eating well , no exercise, no vitamin D from the sun .
Just continue wearing masks like obedient lab rats waiting for the rushed for profit vaccine to cure it . Wake up people ! This is brainwashing 101
Wake up! It’s a pandemic, it’s not tyranny, and not brainwashing.
Not sure you have a brain. Troll some other site.
It’s a scare pandemic using a virus with
95% survival rate to control
new world order of censorship & pushed vaccines
1984 novel in real life
Benchwarmer – Don’t forget the overwhelming of our hospitals. Just ask the inmates in Texas working the morgues. Just ask anyone who works in a hospital. Death rates are actually closer to 10% higher than they were in 2019 & 2018.
Bench warmer – You can’t exercise and eat right? You’re just being asked to wash your hands ( basic hygiene), wear a mask and limit not eliminate outside activities. Eating right is on you, now you’re just fishing for someone to blame for lazy and bad eating habits.
Mac – nope Mac , since it has started I have been active , eating well and CONTINUE to go to my gym . The covid ruling authorities do not stress enough in how to stay healthy during this , I bet more people are unhealthy than 8 months ago because they are sheltered and scared Especially the ones with under lining issues who are the easy targets to this is virus
“The CDC recommends social distancing” — Thomas Payne
We all need to do our part to keep NYC safe. If that means closing all nom essential business then i agree. No one can evict you and food is available to those that need it. Everything is going to be all right. Prayers for Sunnyside and all of Nyc.
Obviously you must not have bills to pay
And about eviction, you still owe the rent money eventually…
Anyone want to start a betting pool on what dates a blizzard will fall this winter?
not soon enough.
Has to be above 3 percent for 7 days according to ny state guidance I thought … So we should stay open until after Thanksgiving.
But the vaccine is coming. Sadly no vaccine for de blasio… That’s another 2 year haul.
I better get my hair done before they close also.
My hair dresser is booked until Jan.
Where’s that stimulus package, Nancy? Stop wasting time.
Lmao people going have to learn have to cook over the holidays I am not risking my health for an over priced meal ?
What’s wrong with having food delivered by restaurants? Support them that way.
The restaurants are already struggling. Should we close them down…they might never reopen. Although COVID cases are rising it’s because some people are being irresponsible by having parties and stuff like that. But restaurants that are following guidelines and being responsible should not have to shut down for a few weeks just because people are being irresponsible by having parties. I know some people who work at restaurants and it’s their only source of income. Should they close down they will have to look for a new job or else they will have to file for unemployment.
Maybe the restaurants can donate food to the poor and hungry people in the neighborhood before they close.
Maybe those poor and hungry are the ones who are out of a job because restaurants have closed up ! Restaurants are the life Line of NYC
That Amazon warehouse would had been a great idea for people out of a job right now
Oh wait ….. thank you AOC !!!!!
Good idea! Let’s close every business except Amazon!
Food and ingredients, right,? I understand giving away things they already have that are perishable but that’s it.
We’ll be here for a while. Opening & closing every other week… pathetic
many of these places are going to be shut down permanently
Dianne Morales for NYC Mayor!
I don’t understand how gyms and bars etc. are still open and not school tho. This is very hard.
It’s because the GOP-led Senate (McConnell) failed to approve the House’s second relief bill, which should have happened five months ago. During the first lockdown bars, restaurants and gyms had at least SOME financial help. This time there is none, so many of those businesses would shutter for good. Moving students from in-person to online learning doesn’t result in the same economic fallout.
Safety 1st!
Most people begin working out after the new year anyway.
For some reason, Gauleiter Cuomo and Comrade DiBozoio have a serious grudge against the restaurant and bar business.
And capitalism and the constitution. These two are a bad joke.
They are closing down due to the pandemic. That’s when this started happening.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019
Ok the same pandemic that Cuomo and his brother preach about mask safety and social distancing when they themselves don’t follow !
@Benchwarmer – No the Pandemic Trump said will go away last April. The one you could cure by injecting bleach.
Open schools and close bars and restaurants like other countries are doing!
Its so hard to keep my reviews of restaurants and bars in the area current during the pandemic.
My daughter is learning perfectly through the online schooling. Every student received a chrome book to do all schoolwork. I think NYC is doing the right thing for now.
We still have many students who don’t have their own way of getting on the internet to do their work. We still are making packets for students we never see (they’re remote only whereas I’m an in school teacher). Their remote teacher is not me at all.
Why they were made to give the devices back from last year is beyond me!
Ok Janet …… then you are one of the lucky ones who’s child hasn’t experienced the torture of technical issues from the devices that they give out or families that have more than 1 child in a household
Imagine what a household has to go through with 3+ children with 1 device per household
Well, there goes the neighborhood.
This place was/is owned and run by members of the Chinese community.
I hope the record high national unemployment doesn’t continue, more businesses will be affected
Going to be rallying against this, too???
This is what happens when you don’t mask yourself the freak up!!!
Cases are low from schools , it’s ridiculous that they shutting down schools ,children are the ones that suffering
this good for nothing mayor made a deal with the schools union and has to follow through
Good luck with the economic recovery after this…
What economic recovery?
Trump already wiped out the economy, there is no recovery in sight until his term is over in a few months
i’m sure geriatric joe, if he even remembers his own name, will instantly fix everything.
Hopefully the other septuagenarian can forger how badly he lost…sad!
Oh the election Biden stole ? No I don’t think he remembers what day it is
Boondy- According to Trump and Giuliani Biden is a mastermind who has placed his brother and son in positions to earn tens of millions of dollars. He even stole a US National election. That is certainly not the antics of geriatric. Biden will be surrounded by decent capable Americans, just like senile Reagan was.