COVID-19: NYC Quote of the Day 2020-08-31

Monday, August 31, 2020, NYS Gov. Cuomo - Indoor Dining in New Jersey, Not New York City

New Jersey and New York and Connecticut coordinate very closely. We coordinate with our 7-state Northeast coalition. New Jersey has gone to 25 percent on indoor dining, they've done that all across the state. New York State has already been doing indoor dining and restaurants all across the state, except New York City. When New Jersey goes to 25 percent indoor dining, I understand that - especially for the Southern New York and New York City area - you will now have restaurants right across the river in New Jersey that are open for indoor dining and restaurants in New York City that are not open for indoor dining.

I understand that that means people can go through the tunnel or go over the George Washington Bridge and go to a restaurant in New Jersey where they can't do that in New York City. I'm aware of that competitive disadvantage for New York City restaurants. We're coming in to Labor Day. Labor Day we'll see more people going back to school. That is a factor we have to watch. We're coming into the fall, flu season. Flu season is a factor that we have to watch. I'm very aware of the balance. I am aware that the restaurants in New York City are very unhappy with doing no indoor dining. I understand the economic consequences. I understand their argument will be exacerbated when they say New Jersey can go to 25 percent and it is something we are watching and we are considering.

I want as much economic activity as quickly as possible. We also want to make sure the transmission rate stays under control. That is the tension. I get it with restaurants, I get it with casinos, and we're trying to find the balance and we're calibrating every day. By law, it is a state decision. It is not up to Queens, the Bronx, Westchester, Nassau. It's not up to New York City.
Edited for redundancy, grammar, and emphasis
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