Coronavirus Social Distance Violators Face $1K Fine: NYC Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — Police will begin patrolling "hot spot" parks to crack down on social distancing violators and issuing fines as high as $1,000, Mayor Bill de Blasio

"We don't want to give fines," de Blasio said. "But this is serious and it's going to get harder with the fine weather."

The New York Police and Parks departments will partner to enforce the novel coronavirus rules that dictate New Yorkers stay at least six feet apart in public spaces, de Blasio said.

New Yorkers who refuse to follow regulations could also face arrest, said de Blasio.

The mayor urged New Yorkers to report people not following the city's rules to 311.

"You gotta do it," said de Blasio. "This is not snitching, this is saving lives."

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New York City has 126,368 coronavirus cases and 33,079 hospitalizations linked to the disease, Health Department records show.

As of Saturday, 8,448 New Yorkers had lost their lives to COVID-19 and another 4,264 were deemed likely to have died from the virus, Health Department data show.

De Blasio announced this increase in social distance enforcement during his daily COVID-19 briefing to update New Yorkers.

The mayor also announced 11 independent hospitals will get 600 additional medical personnel from the city's reserve corps and asked New Yorkers who have tested positive and recovered from COVID-19 to volunteer to donate plasma.

De Blasio concluded his remarks by repeating his pleas to President Donald Trump for federal aid for New York City, facing a $7.4 billion in lost tax revenue, beyond the $1.4 billion provided in the federal stimulus package.

"Are you telling New York City to drop dead?" de Blasio asked. "When New York City is in need, where are you?"

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