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Coronavirus Updates: Cuomo Puts Manhattan And The Hamptons On Blast For Reopening Violation Complaints

By

Jen Chung

and

Sydney Pereira

Published Jun 14, 2020

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New Yorkers day drink in on a Manhattan street, many without masks.

GRETCHEN ROBINETTE / GOTHAMIST

By

Jen Chung

and

Sydney Pereira

Published Jun 14, 2020

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This is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Sunday, June 14th, 2020. Previous daily updates can be found here, and up-to-date statistics are here.

New York City is in Phase 1 of reopening now. Here's a look at preparing for the spread of coronavirus is here, and if you have lingering questions about the virus, here is our regularly updated coronavirus FAQ. Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.

Here's the latest:

1:45 p.m.: Governor Andrew Cuomo put Manhattan and the Hamptons on blast for getting the most complaints for businesses not following reopening rules, and then warned of localized rollbacks of the reopening should the COVID-19 infection rate spike.

"This is a question of violating the law. Not just feel guilty. You're violating the law, alright?" Cuomo said during a press briefing on Sunday in Albany. "This is a very serious situation, and I want to make sure that everybody knows the consequences here. A bar or restaurant that is violating these rules can lose their liquor license."

Cuomo said there have been 25,000 complaints statewide about businesses, particularly bars and restaurants, being out of compliance with the phased reopening plan. In Manhattan's East Village, revelers were seen drinking in close proximity to others, many without masks, on Saturday.

"We have never received more complaints in a shorter period of time," Cuomo said.

Large gatherings with little social distancing or mask-wearing is likely to spur an increase in an uptick of coronavirus spread, Cuomo warned. Without proper enforcement by local governments, there's a possibility the state would intervene and "repause" localized areas.

State Liquor Authority officials were inspecting bars and restaurants for violations. Cuomo also reminded New Yorkers they weren't allowed to drink on the street due to open container laws and that not wearing a mask is currently a legal violation.

As the widespread protests against police violence and systemic racism continue, Cuomo said local police need to wear masks too—NYPD officers assigned to demonstrations and other locations have been frequently observed without face coverings.

"Police department: Your job is to enforce the law. Why don't you follow the law?" Cuomo said.

Cuomo also announced that in phase three—as soon as July 6th in some parts of the state—low-risk kids' sports can start up again. Two spectators are permitted per child for sports like baseball, softball, gymnastics, field hockey, cross country, and crew. NYC began phase one on June 8th.

Twenty-three people died from COVID-19 in New York State on Saturday. Statewide, 24,551 people have died, according to the state health department database. There were 1,657 total hospitalizations in New York State, the lowest number since March 20th.

The state Department of Health will begin a study on health impacts of COVID-19 on minorities after the governor signed a bill ordering the study. He also signed a bill that reaffirms people's right to take video of police activity as well as keep such recordings or photos—a part of the state's police reform package of legislation.

Social distancing in Domino Park in May, 2020

CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock

Dr. Fauci Hopes For 'Real Normality Within a Year Or So'

As people eagerly anticipate a return to the Before Time, without masks and with other people, Dr. Anthony Fauci has a reality check.

Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases spoke to the Telegraph about prospect of a second wave. "We were successful in suppressing the virus in cities where there were major outbreaks—New York, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans," he explained. "But we're seeing several states, as they try to reopen and get back to normal, starting to see early indications [that] infections are higher than previously.

He continued "The question is will they have the capability to do the appropriate and effective isolation, and contact tracing, to prevent this increase from becoming a full blown outbreak? I'm concerned it's happening. I hope the individual states can blunt that. It [the virus] could go on for a couple of cycles, coming back and forth. I would hope to get to some degree of real normality within a year or so. But I don't think it's this winter or fall, we'll be seeing it for a bit more."

"It's going to be really wait and see. I don't think there's going to be an immediate pull back for those kinds of restrictions," Fauci emphasized. "My feeling, looking at what's going on with the infection rate, I think it's more likely measured in months rather than weeks... It is not inevitable that you will have a so-called 'second wave' in the fall, or even a massive increase, if you approach it in the proper way."

New York City finally reopened, into Phase 1 (non-essential construction and retail curbside pick-up can resume) last week, the last of the state's 10 regions to do so. Other regions, like the Finger Lakes and Mohawk Valley, have entered Phase 3, which includes the reopening of nail salons and indoor dining at reduced capacity.

Fauci is optimistic about the prospect of a vaccine in the next year, but he continues to emphasize the importance of individual safety measures for the spread of the virus. In an interview with ABC News, the infectious disease expert said, "[The] best way that you can avoid — either acquiring or transmitting infection — is to avoid crowded places, to wear a mask whenever you’re outside,” Fauci said. “And if you can do both, avoid the congregation of people and do the mask, that’s great.... If you’re going to be in a situation where, beyond your control there’s a lot of people around you, make sure you wear a mask."

Here's how Fauci approaches mask-wearing while exercising: He wears one while "power walking, running," even though he admits "it feels like you're waterboarding yourself." He told Yahoo's Alexander Nazaryan, "So what I do is I leave it on. When I see that there's nobody within 100 feet of me, I might take it down and breathe regularly. When I see people coming and there are people walking on the street, I put the mask back on so that when I'm way far from them—maybe 40 feet, 30 feet, 20 feet—as soon as I pass them and I'm alone again, I'll take it down a little. I think that's reasonable. You don't have to have it on if there's nobody around."

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COVID-19

covid-19 updates

anthony fauci

coronavirus

Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Sydney Pereira

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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