Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that 100 percent of the non-essential workforce in New York needs to stay home due to the spread of COVID-19.
The governor says that going forward only essential businesses will be functioning and 100 percent of non-essential services need to be reduced.
Essential businesses include shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions and other industries critical to the supply chain.
Last week the governor in partnership with leaders of New Jersey and Connecticut ordered ALL gyms, casinos, and movie theaters in NYS to close.
Restaurants and bars will remain open for take-out service only. Grocery stores will remain open.
The measures are in effect until further notice.
The #Coronavirus doesn’t care about state borders, so this agreement with @GovNedLamont & @GovMurphy will help protect the entire Tri-State Area.
These temporary closures will last as long as is necessary to protect the public health.
Grocery stores will remain OPEN.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 16, 2020
Here is the press release sent out from Albany:
AMID LACK OF FEDERAL DIRECTION, GOVERNOR CUOMO, GOVERNOR MURPHY AND GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCE REGIONAL APPROACH TO COMBATTING COVID-19.
The three States will limit crowd capacity for recreational and social gatherings to 50 people – effective by 8 PM tonight
Restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery only effective 8 PM tonight
Movie theaters, gyms and casinos will temporarily close effective 8 PM tonight
Uniform approach to social distancing will slow spread of COVID-19 throughout the tri-state area
Amid a lack of federal direction and nationwide standards, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a regional approach to combatting the novel coronavirus – or COVID-19 – throughout the tri-state area.
These uniform standards will limit crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people, effective 8 PM tonight. This follows updated guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued yesterday recommending the cancellation or postponement of in-person events consisting of 50 people or more.
The three governors also announced restaurants and bars will close for on premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. These establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol. These measures will take effect at 8 PM tonight.
Finally, the three governors said they will temporarily close movie theaters, gyms and casinos, effective at 8 PM tonight.
This uniform approach to social distancing is meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
“Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesn’t crash our healthcare system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is not a war that can be won alone, which is why New York is partnering with our neighboring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents ‘state shopping’ where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa. I have called on the federal government to implement nationwide protocols but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves.”
Governor Murphy said, “With all we are seeing in our state – and across our nation and around the world – the time for us to take our strongest, and most direct, actions to date to slow the spread of coronavirus is now. I’ve said many times over the past several days that, in our state, we are going to get through this as one New Jersey family. But if we’re all in this together, we must work with our neighboring states to act together. The work against coronavirus isn’t just up to some of us, it’s up to all of us.”
Governor Lamont said, “The only way to effectively fight the spread of COVID-19 is by working together as states. We have shared interests, and a patchwork of closures and restrictions is not the best way forward. I know that because of this collaboration, we will save lives.
