Suburban Businesses Face Tight Restrictions As COVID-19 Cases Rise Outside New York City
PORT CHESTER, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- As COVID-19 cases climb across New York City, parts of the suburbs are facing even stricter measures.
Port Chester, for example, has more than 250 active cases of coronavirus -- the most since the start of the pandemic, CBS2's Nick Caloway reported Monday.
"These are dangerous times that we're in," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a warning of what's to come this holiday season.
New restrictions are on the way as Upper Manhattan has been designated a yellow zone. The southern half of Staten Island is now an orange zone.
Cuomo said the hospitalizations are going up so fast on Staten Island, there's a bed shortage.
"And the hospitals have contacted us and they say they need emergency beds on Staten Island. And we're going to open an emergency, COVID patient facility at South Beach on Staten Island," the governor said.
Other areas are on the brink of going even further in the wrong direction.
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Gov. Cuomo said Yonkers, Port Chester, Ossining, New Rochelle, Tarrytown, and Peekskill are on track for moving into orange and red zones.
Port Chester has been an orange zone for nearly two weeks. Mayor Richard Falanka said a red zone designation would ravage the economy.
"Well, that's a complete shutdown like we were back in the spring. That would be devastating to our community," Falanka said.
The orange zone designation means hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and gyms must close, schools go fully remote and indoor dining is outlawed.
"It's dire, right? Hopefully we can make it through the winter. That's what we're focusing on right now," said Carlos Santos, who owns the Aqui Es Santa Fe restaurant.
The Colombian restaurant is back to takeout only, which is a big blow to the small, family business that's been operating in Port Chester for more than 13 years.
"Unfortunately, we had to let the last people that we kept, we had to cut their hours and, it's difficult. Everybody's having a hard time," Santos said.
Mayor Falanka said government can only do so much to control the outbreak and it's time for residents to take personal responsibility and wear a mask.
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