National surge in coronavirus

De Blasio calls off New York indoor dining plans amid national surge in coronavirus

By ERIN DURKIN

New York City has called off plans to allow indoor dining at restaurants amid a spike in coronavirus cases in other parts of the country that is heightening fears of a resurgence in New York.

Indoor dining was set to be allowed starting Monday, when the city was planning to enter the third phase of its reopening. But Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that the city will postpone the reopening of indoor restaurants.

“It is not the time to forge ahead with indoor dining,” de Blasio told reporters. “Indoors is the problem. More and more, the science is showing it.”

States including Florida, Arizona and Texas are suffering a huge wave of new infections, after lifting stay home orders early on and reopening their economies. A number of clusters around the country have been linked to restaurants and bars.

Experts believe that indoor, enclosed spaces with many people are the riskiest settings for the spread of the coronavirus, with chances of transmission heightened if people are not wearing masks, talking loudly, and staying put for an extended period of time.

All those conditions are present at restaurants, raising concerns that indoor dining would be impossible to pull off safely even if tables are kept six feet apart — itself a difficult task in many of the city’s cramped restaurants.

Other parts of New York state are already allowing indoor dining, at half of normal capacity. But officials said earlier this week they were reconsidering whether to permit it in the city.

Restaurants have been allowed to serve customers outdoors since June 22. The city is allowing eateries to set up shop on sidewalks and in parking spaces, and starting this weekend, full streets will be given over to outdoor dining in some areas.