The Interlude

New York City’s upcoming third phase of reopening had many excited at the prospect of dining in and sipping cocktails at their favorite spots. But don’t make any reservations just yet: While the rest of the state has already resumed indoor dining, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that the city will indefinitely postpone it, citing a soaring number of cases in other states.

The decision came after New Jersey governor Phil Murphy delayed the return to indoor dining for the foreseeable future on Monday. The city will still move forward with the rest of Phase 3 on July 6, which includes reopening hotels, and personal care services like nail salons, waxing, tanning, and massage parlors.

“We particularly see problems revolving around people going back to bars and restaurants indoors,” de Blasio said at a press briefing. “Indoors is the problem more and more. The science is showing it more and more.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo had also expressed similar concerns earlier in the week. While New York City was on track to reinstate indoor dining on July 6, the governor hinted at two possible complications that could hinder the plans: citizens’ lack of compliance for social distancing and safety guidelines, which the governor partly blamed on the local government, as well as potential contamination from other states.

“People from the other states travel to New York,” he said, “If other states have a high infection rate, probability is they’re gonna wind up increasing the spread and the infection in New York.”

New York, along with Connecticut and New Jersey, has also imposed restrictions on travelers from states with high infection rates. People entering from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and Texas must self-quarantine for two weeks upon arrival.