Coronavirus NY: Cuomo lifts Orange zone restrictions; plan for NYC restaurants by end of week

Coronavirus Update for New York

Thursday, January 28, 2021

NYC business anxiously anticipate Cuomo announcement on reopening

The owners of New York City's struggling restaurants are anxiously anticipating an announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo on when they might be able to reopen.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted COVID restrictions in the state's orange and yellow zone micro-clusters. A few yellow zones remain in the Bronx, Washington Heights, Queens, and Newburgh.

But in New York City, Cuomo said a plan for NYC restaurants remains in the works. He is talking to political officials and the health department. The governor said he will have a plan for city restaurants by the end of the week.

"We will have an announcement at the end of the week, but we are looking at going back to the 25%, that would be the question. How and when we do you do that," Cuomo said.

Cuomo also said he is also looking at the 10 p.m. closing time, but did not have an announcement yet.

The New York City Hospitality Alliance responded to Cuomo's comments about a coming plan for city restaurants within the next few days.

"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," they 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. Highly regulated, limited occupancy indoor dining has been a minor factor for virus transmission and full shutdowns have exacerbated the current economic crisis, which has permanently shuttered thousands of restaurants and bars and put over 140,000 people out of work in our city."

The news comes a day after the NYC Hospitality Alliance says it planned to file lawsuits.

COVID NEWS | COVID rates drop, but no relief for NYC restaurants

Stacey Sager reports both the positivity rate and the rate of hospitalization is down across New York, and Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to ease some restrictions.

Regarding vaccine supplies, Cuomo says the state is essentially out of COVID-19 vaccine until it gets another shipment later this week.

But if you have an appointment, you should still show up, because your dose been already accounted for.

The supply issues that have been plaguing vaccination sites around the state and across the nation are now being addressed at the federal level.

About 16 percent more doses per week are expected to start arriving in each state soon.

Lauren Glassberg has the latest on the vaccination sites in NYC and who is next in line for the shot.

In New York, that translates to roughly 40,000 additional doses each week, for a total of 290,000.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said they were expecting 30% more Moderna vaccine doses going forward. That would translate into an additional 17,000 vaccine doses each week.

New Jersey will be getting an additional 16,000 doses a week.

The Biden Administration has also promised that each state will now know weeks in advance how many doses they will receive, allowing them to schedule appointments accordingly.

The president announced yesterday that the U.S. has secured 200 million additional doses from Moderna and Pfizer.

Those are not expected until June.

The New York City Hospitality Alliance responded to Cuomo's comments about a coming plan for city restaurants within the next few days.

-Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance

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