Restaurateurs have been given hope

It won't be long before, as Governor Andrew Cuomo said, it will be possible to serve diners on the premises of establishments, which were banned last December to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The number of seats that can be occupied will be limited to 25% of the nominal number, but the final decision will be made after consultation with the Department of Health and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Cuomo said: "I clearly understand how difficult it is for entrepreneurs whose businesses cannot operate, but on the other hand, the situation will only get worse for everyone if the epidemic continues to grow".

To prevent this, the state is using a so-called micro-cluster strategy, identifying which counties have a growing disease burden and setting restrictions according to the level of threat yellow, orange or red (according to the level of increase). Thus, at the time of the governor's press conference, two boroughs in the Bronx, Washington Heights, Queens and Newberg, located in Hudson Valley, were in the "yellow zone" there were restrictions on catering and social contacts, a limit on the number of worship services for religious buildings, and schools had to do testing more often.

Cuomo was especially worried about the Bronx, where the rate of infection has remained above average for weeks, at 6.9%, while the statewide rate dropped to 5.44%, after an increase after the holidays, when, for example, the rate reached 7.94% on 4 January.

The governor also called on federal authorities to increase the amount of vaccine supplied, especially in light of the fact that immunization of health professionals, staff and nursing home residents will be completed in the foreseeable future and other, more numerous categories will be eligible for vaccination. In the meantime, to facilitate long-term planning, the White House intends to allow state authorities to apply for the drug for three weeks at a time rather than weekly.