Gov. Cuomo Prepares to Shut Down Indoor Dining in NYC, if Hospital Rates Do Not Stabilize

By Yehudit Garmaise

      The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued new guidance on Friday to close indoor dining if hospitalization rates do not stabilize, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that he would follow that directive in New York City, if necessary.

  Similarly, Gov. Cuomo said that he may have to decrease the maximum capacity of indoor dining in the rest of the state from 50% to 25%.

   “If after five days, we have not seen a stabilization in a region’s hospital rate, we are going to clamp down on indoor dining,” said Gov. Cuomo, who somewhat ironically said that he is “religious about following the science.”

  “I don’t go by anecdotes, politics, or opinions,” Gov. Cuomo said. “I follow the data.”

  Although some New Yorkers are critical of the changing guidelines of the state and of Gov. Cuomo, he said that he “doesn’t have a problem with changing opinions.”

   “As the facts change, your opinion should change. I am not bothered by changing guidance.”

Gov. Cuomo said that over the next five days, he is going to watch the hospitalization rate, which he does not expect to stabilize because of the increasing travel and socializing that will certainly take place as part of the upcoming winter holidays.

   The governor also said that he believed restaurants and bars should receive federal funds to get them through this difficult time because remaining open poses such a large risk to the health of New Yorkers, whom he asked to consider their behavior under necessary health protocols.

   “We are looking at hospitalization capacity,” the governor said. “If we don't get the rate under control and you are going to overwhelm your hospitals, then we will have to go back to shut down."