NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Restaurants in New York City will be allowed to increase indoor dining capacity late next week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
Beginning Friday, March 19, restaurants in the five boroughs will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity, which is up from the current 35%.
The governor made the announcement shortly after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also allowed restaurants in the Garden State to begin operating at half capacity.
Cuomo had previously set dining cap to match New Jersey’s limitations, in order to prevent New York City residents from traveling across the Hudson River and potentially cause interstate spread of COVID-19.
The New York governor on Wednesday noted that his decision was done in partnership with Murphy.
"In New York State, our decisions are based on science and data and we are encouraged by the continued decline in infection and hospitalization rates," Cuomo said. "In partnership with the State of New Jersey, we are expanding our indoor dining openings in New York City to 50%. We will continue to follow the science and react accordingly.”
The rest of New York State has already been operating at 50% capacity. Cuomo's previously announced that restaurants outside of New York City will expand to 75% capacity beginning March 19.
Despite the fact that more infectious COVID-19 variants now account for 51% of all coronavirus cases in New York City, Cuomo said industries will remain open so long as the infection rate remains low and vaccination rate continue to trend upwards.
“If we keep the infections down and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the footrace against this invisible enemy and reach the light at the end of the tunnel together,” the governor said.
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