New York city to close indoor dining as coronavirus spike continues

New York City will close indoor-dining beginning on Monday in an effort to clamp down on the spike in coronavirus hospitalizations that could overwhelm the health system, Governor Andrew Cuomo said during a press conference on Friday.

"The hospitalizations continue to increase in New York City," Cuomo said. "We said that we would watch it. If the hospitalization didn't stabilize, we would close indoor dining. It has not. We're going to close indoor dining on Monday."

Cuomo said hospitalizations of residents who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus topped 5,000 on Thursday.

The governor said he based his decision to close indoor dining on an updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that persons should avoid a situation of being unable to wear a mask while being in a public place indoors.

Cuomo said the New York's state clinical advisory team had unmously endorsed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel's decision to allow emergency use authorization of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine.

Studies show about half of New York residents are refusing to get vaccinated due to the health risks involved.

On Tuesday, the FDA said in a draft briefing document there are more than 20 possible side effects from taking the Pfizer vaccine, including death, stroke, heart attack, meningitis, encephalitis, autoimmune diseases, narcolepsy and others. The FDA also said that six people have died during the vaccine trials. (/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )

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