New York Governor Andrew Cuomo suspended the liquor licenses of three Queens bars and one in Long Island today for violating his COVID-19 guidelines, according to News 12.
"It’s younger people in bars, that is the issue," he added. "And we know the younger people can transmit it easily and that’s where the problem is coming from."
Contract tracers assessing coronavirus transmission are directed to ask people if they've been out drinking, but are still instructed not to ask if they've been out protesting, currently one of the only social events allowable within the five boroughs.
The bars are Brik Bar in Astoria, MIA in Astoria, Maspeth Pizza in Maspeth, and Secrets Gentleman's Club in Deer Park.
This crackdown comes after Cuomo announced stricter regulations for bars and restaurants in New York City last week. Statewide, these establishments are only allowed to serve alcohol to customers who also order food. Walk up bar service is also prohibited.
The state will suspend liquor licenses for businesses in violation of health orders.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 21, 2020
Local governments must also enforce these rules.
We need compliance to stop the spread and keep New Yorkers safe.
Cuomo's draconian "Three Strikes and You're Closed" initiative closes any business that receives three violations. "Egregious violations" result in an immediate loss of a liquor license or closure before a third strike.
"Concerned" New Yorkers can even report their neighbors with photographic evidence to the State Liquor Authority. Any establishment facing disciplinary charges will have its name and location posted publicly.
To date, 410 charges have been issued and 27 liquor licenses have been suspended by the SLA, Cuomo said in today's press conference call, according to CNBC.
"We never opened bars. This was a violation by them from the beginning," Cuomo said. "We never authorized bar operations."
Cuomo claimed bars "exploited the existing regulations" by using outdoor dining as an opportunity to facilitate outdoor drinking.
Yesterday, Cuomo had called congregations of young people "a threat" to the state’s reopening plans, according to CNBC.
While Cuomo is pointing a finger at young people for drinking outside, NYC's coronavirus tracing program is also focusing on young adults drinking and dining outdoors, but not demonstrating at the George Floyd protests, according to the New York Post.
"[P]atients will explicitly be asked if they spent time with their close contact at a bar or restaurant as the city continues to reopen,” said City Hall spokeswoman Avery Cohen, reaffirming that health officials won’t ask about riots attended by the masses in close quarters.
Instead, the city's COVID-19 contact tracers are paying attention to New Yorkers in the younger age brackets who recently enjoyed a meal and a drink with friends and family.
During today's call, Cuomo continued to accused local government of inaction and failure to punish violators of state restrictions.
"The state is not the primary enforcer of these laws. The local governments are. I have been asking them for weeks to step up and do their job," Cuomo said.
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