WE’RE SERVING!
month — following new set of health guidelines
COURIER LIFE, SEPT. 11-17, 2020 3
to provide their contact information
for contact tracing
should someone be exposed
to COVID-19.
Keeping with current outdoor
dining restrictions, patrons
will be required to order
food before the eatery
can serve alcohol, and restaurants
will be required to
close by midnight.
Reopened establishments
will also have to implement
enhanced air filtration, ventilation,
and purification
standards.
Outdoor dining will also
remain available after indoor
dining resumes, according
to Cuomo, who said
that repeated or egregious
violations could result in the
loss of a restaurant’s license
to operate.
Cuomo’s decision comes
months after New York City
restaurants were initially
slated to permit patrons indoors
in early July with
Phase 3 of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
reopening plan — but
outbreaks in other areas of
the country related to indoor
dining caused the state’s
leadership to change course.
“You have cases where
one bar or restaurant has
caused dozens of infections,
so that is inherent in indoor
dining,” Cuomo said at the
time.
In recent weeks, however,
with no new announcement
coming down regarding the
idea, a bevy of Brooklyn
businesses and politicians
began demanding answers
from the city and state governments
— including the
owner of Bay Ridge’s beloved
Chadwick’s restaurant, who
painted the possibility of
prolonged closure in grim
terms.
“If we don’t get inside,”
said Stephen Oliver, “75 to 80
percent, at least, of restaurants
in New York City will
never open again.”
Oliver opened the beloved
Third Avenue eatery with
his partner Jerry Morris in
October of 1987, just one day
after the economy collapsed
on Black Monday — but even
that challenge pales in comparison
to the economic
devastation brought on by
the COVID-19 pandemic, he
said.
“That was a crisis, and
there’s been a few — but
nothing like this,” said the
restaurateur. “I have never,
ever gone through anything
as tough as we are right
now.”
Now, Chadwick’s will get
a chance to weather the winter
months inside — provided
the city’s progress combating
the virus keeps up.
While the city has seen a
positive infection rate below
1 percent for several weeks,
Cuomo warned that an increase
to 2 percent or higher
would force state regulators
to “reassess” permits for indoor
dining.
Mayor Bill de Blasio
weighed in after Cuomo’s
announcement, saying the
city would be vigilant about
enforcement of the newlyrolled
out rules, and would
monitor for any potential uptick
in COVID-19 cases.
“We are continuing New
York City’s economic recovery
by bringing back indoor
dining. Working with the
state and public health offi -
cials, we’ve achieved a plan
that puts health and safety
fi rst by including strict capacity
limits, a close monitoring
of citywide positive testing
rates and a coordinated
inspection regimen,” said de
Blasio in a statement.
“Science will guide our
decision-making as we continue
to monitor progress
and health care indicators
over the next three weeks to
ensure a safe reopening,” he
went on. “This may not look
like the indoor dining that
we all know and love, but it is
progress for restaurant workers
and all New Yorkers.”
In addition to the added
help from the city, Cuomo
called on the New York City
community to help with restaurant
compliance — including
by using a newly
established tip line, which
individuals can call or text
to report violations.
“New Yorkers will keep
New Yorkers safe,” said the
governor. “The New York
community is the best compliance
unit. New Yorkers
have shown all through this
they have forged community.”
Pexels
The new indoor
dining regulations:
• 25 percent occupancy limit
• Temperature checks required at
the door for all customers
• One member of each party will
be required to provide contact
information for tracing
• No bar service
• Masks must be worn at all times
when not seated at a table
• Tables must be six feet apart
• Restaurants must close by
midnight
• Restaurants must improve air
fi ltration and ventilation
• Must allow for outside air fl ow
• Outdoor dining will continue in
the interim