Cuomo Urges De Blasio 'Do Your Job' As Mayor Takes Sick Day

NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to do his job and enforce social distancing at bars and restaurants, perhaps unaware that Hizzoner took a sick day.

Asked about de Blasio's comment that Cuomo calm down about the uptick in unmasked crowds of restaurant and bar patrons spotted in Manhattan, the New York governor repeated his newest mantra.

"Do your job, local government," Cuomo said. "If the local governments don't enforce compliance they are not doing anyone any favors."

Cuomo's demand came after de Blasio suddenly cancelled his morning press briefing and two television appearances, according to spokesperson Freddi Goldstein.

His symptoms reportedly do not track with COVID-19 and may be "gastro" related.

Cuomo's office has received more than 25,000 complaints over lax social distancing and missing facial coverings, spurring him to personally call some restaurant owners to demand answers, he said.

"I made a few phone calls and said to restaurants and bars, what are you doing?" Cuomo said, noting those businesses risked losing their state liquor licenses.

"I just wanted to make sure they knew the laws and the rules."

Cuomo's call for increased enforcement comes as New York City grapples with how, and by whom, it is policed.

Police brutality protesters have been taking to the streets for weeks to demand New York City "defund" the NYPD and local lawmakers fight for a $1 billion cut to the agency's $6 billion budget.

Cuomo said bar and restaurant patrons must hear the same message he told protesters and police, "You should be wearing mask," or he might send state police into the city to assist with enforcement.

But the governor also noted New York City's COVID-19 numbers have held steady even as it entered last Monday into the first phase of reopening its economy.

Manhattan — called out Sunday for egregious flouting of the social distancing rules — maintained the lowest infection rates at .9 percent as of Sunday.

New York State continues to hold the lowest infection rate in the nation, which is raising a new concern Cuomo called "one of the great ironies of life."

"Remember when we started, other states were saying, 'Well we don't want people from New York coming to our state' because they were afraid we'd bring the virus?" Cuomo asked.

"My health officials are saying, 'We hope people from Florida don't come here.'"