R&I Navy Vet — Indoor dining operations will be suspended as of Monday — New York’s governor announced on Friday — the same day wintry weather is expected to strike the tri-state, delivering not one, but two chances for snowfall this week.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered the grim news for restauranteurs and staff following sustained increases in New York City’s hospitalization and COVID-19 positivity rates. Other regions face similar results if hospitalization rates are unstable for more than five days, the governor said.
The city’s Sanitation Department issued a Winter Operations Advisory on Sunday, warning of the winter weather in the forecast. Under the advisory, made when less than one inch of snow accumulation is in the forecast, establishments under the Open Restaurants program may stay open but must “take steps to protect patrons, staff and property.”
The Winter Operations Advisory is one of two new weather orders the Sanitation Department will make regarding outdoor dining. The second, a Snow Alert, suspends outdoor dining when more than one inch of snow is in the forecast. In this case, restaurants must remove or secure outdoor furniture; electric heaters should be removed altogether. If more than a foot is expected, the alert calls for outdoor structures or barriers to be removed or consolidated.
RandyMarsh