In a press conference this morning, tri-state governors announced expanded measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Effective at 8 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 16:
- Crowd capacity reduced to 50
- Restaurants/bars will be takeout/delivery ONLY
- Gyms closed
- Movie theaters closed
- Casinos closed
“Our primary goal is to slow the spread of Coronavirus so that the wave doesn’t crash our healthcare system,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “Social distancing is the best way to do that.”
Cuomo added that all grocery stores will remain open.
“This is not a war that can be won alone, which is why New York is partnering with our neighboring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents ‘state shopping’ where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa,” said Cuomo. “I have called on the federal government to implement nationwide protocols but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves.”
Five other states also ordered bars and restaurants closed to the public yesterday: Ohio, California, Illinois, Washington and Massachusetts.
The restaurant dining-in prohibition is extreme. It should not be too “inconvenient” for government to allow restaurants that have a high ratio of floor space relative to number of diners. If diners are sitting at least six feet away from others, Wait staff could wear disposable gloves to protect when clearing tables. The gloves must then be disposed of in a closed hazardous waste trash can.
I eat at a restaurant where I am often the sole diner in a large, booth-fitted dining room. There are four employees. I know the practices in the kitchen and trust them. I avoid hand-to-door handle direct contact, so it isn’t as though I am not cautious.
What is also illogical is to limit to take-out, when, given experience at the convenience store the other day, people are standing on top of each other in line, even without a long wait – and there were only 6 people waiting to pay – and management is not instructing them to maintain a six-foot distance.
You should re-investigate your knowledge of coronavirus, you seem to be completely void of knowledge and fact. The virus can remain on surfaces for hours, why, on cardboard for twenty-four hours. The virus stays a contagion for up to three hours when airborne. You could not be more wrong about the situation. It is ignorant diatribes as yours above, that is most dangerous too society. If you continue too disregard fact, you will soon be infected, and worse yet, a carrier of sickness and death. Please everyone; Wake the “F” up!
Hey Jane. If you’re the only diner in this restaurant “often” then it sounds like they’ll lose less money by shutting down. Think before you type.