Cuomo Lifts all Orange Zones, but Five, Deciding this week whether to Reopen Restaurants

 Cuomo announced that the post-holiday COVID-19 surge is over and he will make a decision about indoor dining in New York City by the end of the week. 

   In addition, Gov. Cuomo has lifted all of the yellow and orange zones in the state except for five, which are in the Bronx, Washington Heights, Queens, and Newburgh.

   Some New York City restaurants that are struggling to stay afloat have sued Gov. Cuomo in the hopes that they can reopen, perhaps at 25% capacity. Restaurants in suburbs currently are allowed to be open at 50% maximum capacity.

   Although Gov. Cuomo said he was aware of the lawsuits being brought by New York City restaurants, he said that he did not yet have a plan.

    “Everyone understands the concepts of [necessary] restrictions [due to COVID], just not as it applies to them,” said Gov. Cuomo, who also mentioned that New York now has 42 cases of the new, UK strain of COVID. “[Restrictions] always make sense when they applies to someone else, but not to people’s own businesses and lives.”

    Gov. Cuomo acknowledged that the COVID pandemic been economically devastating for everyone in the state, which he said has an economic interest in re-opening all the restaurants as soon as possible. 

    “That is sales tax revenue for the state,” said the governor. “I am provoking and prodding the federal government for $15 billion in relief, but we would rather be less dependent on federal aid for revenue.

   “We will have an answer by the end of the week. We are looking to going back to 25% [capacity in restaurants.”

Darren McGee- Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)