NY Announces New Restrictions On Bars, Restaurants, Gyms, Parties

NEW YORK, NY — Amid rising coronavirus cases statewide, New York bars and restaurants that sell alcohol and gyms must soon close by 10 p.m., Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

Further, the state will limit private house parties to no more than 10 people. If a household contains more than 10 people, no more than those living in the household will be permitted.

The new rules go into effect Friday.

Cuomo said contact tracers identified three areas that are the main drivers behind the spread of the virus: establishments that sell alcohol, gyms and private house parties, such as gatherings for football games. Bowling alleys that sell alcohol will have to close by 10 p.m. as well.

"If the lights are on and people are drinking, they'll get a summons," Cuomo said.

Restaurants will be allowed to sell food for takeout after 10 p.m., he added.

"If these measures are not sufficient to stop the spread, we'll turn the valve more," he said. "And part of that would be reducing the number of people who can do indoor dining."

If that doesn't work, some scientists predicted the state could have to order a mass shutdown again, Cuomo said.

The drastic rollback comes as the state's positive coronavirus test rate, excluding microcluster zones, hit 2.5 percent. The positivity rate including the zones was 2.9 percent, and the rate within microclusters was 4.9 percent.

Cuomo said Wednesday that 21 more New Yorkers died of COVID-19, 1,626 were hospitalized, 304 were receiving intensive care treatment and 135 were intubated.

Given recent positive news about a vaccine, America is "within sight of the finish line," Cuomo said.

"Let's just do what we have to do to get through it," he said.