A New York county leader is catching flak for defiantly dining out in Nyack on Friday instead of staying home — a day after the local medical examiner reported that an area resident had died from the coronavirus and mere minutes after the governor warned against large crowds.
““There is a balance between when you can take reasonable steps to protect your health and still enjoy what this wonderful county has to offer,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day, a third-term Republican, posted to Facebook Friday with the hashtag #GotoHellCOVID19. “An hour after the governor’s edict I was with my lady and joined my new found friends Mike and Ann enjoying dinner at an amazing restaurant – Two Spear Street, New American Restaurant&Bar.”
The post includes a picture of him and pal Donna Pascucci smiling together and holding up drinks at the eatery, as well as pictures with their companions.
“Restaurants and other local restaurants are owned by our neighbors and our support makes our economy hum, bringing in revenue that helps our economy. Bottom line is we don’t run; we don’t hide; and we should use every opportunity to enjoy what life has to offer in Rockland,” he said.
Pascucci posted the same picture of the couple on her Facebook page saying, “Life is short. NOT letting Corona Virus spoil our good time and our support for local businesses that are suffering because of the fear and hysteria and spectacular views,” she said
But other Rockland residents were not amused.
County legislator Michael Grant called Day’s promotion of dining out “irresponsible” and noted that many eateries are offering take-home food as an option
“Everyone should assume they’ve been exposed to the Coronavirus,” Grant said.
“Posting on FB is not a good idea. I don’t think he was acting in the best interests of citizens. The message should be social isolation and stay home.”
But Day doubled down after getting blowback on his Facebook page.
“This restaurant maintained that social distance between tables and did add disinfectant,” Day told one critic.
“They complied with the governor’s guidelines of not overcrowding. We need to understand that his is essentially a super flu that a certain cohort can have significant issues with but 80% plus will get and walk through with many thinking all they had was a cold. Is that worth destroying your local economy and neighborhood business?”
Day added, “We need a logical balance here and what we’re seeing is a gross overreaction.”
But Cuomo tweeted Sunday that New Yorkers should “STAY HOME” — not go to clubs and dine out.
“What we do next will have a massive impact on the trajectory of this virus in New York. We can only maintain public health by STAYING APART. The decision each of makes now will impact us all tomorrow. STAY HOME,” the governor said in his tweet.
During a press conference Sunday, Cuomo also urged bars, restaurants and gyms to “voluntarily close down.”
He said issuing an emergency order closing all bars and restaurants “is something we’re looking at” now after hearing that the businesses and residents are not abiding by social distance requirements. Any eatery or watering hole is supposed to slash their seating in half to keep people apart.
Cuomo last week banned all gatherings of 500 people or more — essentially shutting down Broadway theaters and other cultural and entertainment venues.