ALBANY, NY (WSKG) - Governor Andrew Cuomo says the rate of the COVID-19 virus continues to be low in New York, with 11 deaths on June 30th, but he says he worries that compliance with safety rules is slipping. Because of that, the governor says he’s postponing permission to allow indoor dining in New York City.
Cuomo says because the virus rate is now so low in the state, some have developed a false sense of security and are neglecting to wear their masks and to social distance.
“Citizen compliance is slipping,” Cuomo said. “We have to stay ahead of the virus.”
He says the crisis in other states, including, Arizona Florida, and Texas, where the virus is spiking, shows what can happen again New York, if people don’t follow the rules.
Cuomo blames local governments, who are supposed to enforce rules at restaurants, bars, stores and other public places, who he says are not doing their jobs. He says the state of New York plans to step in.
“The state’s going to create its own enforcement capacity to supplement the local governments’ enforcement,” Cuomo said. “But I do not have the resources, the personnel, to do this statewide.”
The governor says he’s postponing the opening of indoor dining in New York City, which was scheduled to occur this week, because he says patrons of bars and restaurants with outdoor dining are not obeying safety rules, and the owners of the establishment and local officials are not enforcing those rules.
Several other regions of the state, including most of upstate, are in phase 3 or 4, and continue to allow limited indoor dining. The governor says there are also compliance issues in those areas, too.
Cuomo says his team continues to “explore” ways to install better air conditioning filters in indoor spaces, including restaurants, as well as malls, gyms, and movie theaters, which are still closed indefinitely in all of New York.