Andrew Cuomo threatens to shut down Manhattan and Hamptons over 25k complaints of social-distancing violations
On June 14, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed his frustration over the state's residents not adhering to the social-distancing rules and threatened to put into place another shutdown in Manhattan and Hamptons. At a press briefing, the 62-year-old Democratic governor said the state authorities have received 25,000 complaints about health-safety violations since the coronavirus pandemic started and the figure mainly involves bars and restaurants. The state of New York alone has seen over 30,000 deaths while the national death toll is over 115,000. More than two million people have been affected in the US, making it the worst-affected nation in the world.
"We're not going to go back to that dark place because local governments didn't do their job" and people don’t take the right precautions amid the coronavirus, Cuomo warned at his daily briefing, adding: "Manhattan and the Hamptons are the leading areas in the state with violations." He said it is a violation of the rules. "These are not hard-to-spot violations. People send videos of these violations," Cuomo said a couple of days after a video showed at least 200 people partying around St Marks Place in the East Village in Manhattan on June 12 evening, many of whom without wearing masks. The governor retweeted the video with the words: "Don't make me come down there."
"They are rampant and there’s not enough enforcement," he said of violators. "I'm not going to allow situations to exist, that we know have a high likelihood of causing an increase in the virus," Cuomo said. "Local governments, do your job." The governor then warned that if the local governments were not monitoring the policing, there is a "very real possibility" that the plan to reopen those areas will be rolled back. He also said that he personally called up a few bars and restaurants after coming across pictures of their situations and cautioned them saying: "You’re playing with your (liquor) license." Under the social distancing norms, gatherings are meant to be capped at 10 people.
NYC is currently in phase 1 of reopening
New York City, which has also seen a massive impact of the pandemic, is currently in phase 1 of the state's four-stage reopening plan. It includes permission to curbside retail and restart of general reconstruction and manufacturing. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio expects the city to enter the second phase of reopening by early July, which would allow seated dining outside. Hamptons, located in Long Island, entered phase 2 last week. One region has to maintain its low coronavirus figures for at least two weeks before entering the next phase of reopening.
The social-distancing norms have also been flouted in the countrywide protests in the wake of the brutal death of George Floyd at the hands of the police in Minneapolis. Cuomo slammed the trend. As thousands gathered outside the Brooklyn Museum for another rally on June 14, the governor said anyone not observing social distancing and not bothering to wear a mask could be fined. He also said that by not wearing a mask, people were disrespecting everyone, including healthcare workers who have died while fighting the pandemic. "Show a modicum of respect," Cuomo said. "Wear masks." He added that by not wearing masks, people were also disrespecting others by making them vulnerable to the virus. Cuomo said on June 14 that 23 residents died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours — a new record low — and added that he was not in a mood to allow people to turn complacent.