New York City was the early epicenter of COVID-19 in the United States, but has since greatly flattened its curve and brought its daily death count to single-digit numbers. Part of the reason the city has been so successful is because of how seriously it’s enforcing safety guidelines. According to Patch, just this week seven bars in the city have had their liquor licenses suspended after defying rules and safety procedures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 — including three bars on Brooklyn’s busy Smith Street, a dining hotspot in the borough.
One of the bars, Bar Tabac, had its liquor license suspended this week after city investigators performing a compliance check found seven employees on the premises without face masks, which included the manager, a bartender, host, and four kitchen staff members. In June, the bar had been found to be in violation of safety precautions related to the virus and had received non-compliance complaints. It also faced issues related to their outdoor dining set up.
“Noncompliance will lead us right back where we were just a few months ago — so we must continue to crack down on the bad actors who violate the law and risk everyone’s health and safety,” New York governor Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference, according to Patch.
To date, 1,966 compliance checks have been performed in New York with 96 recorded violations. Businesses who are found to be non-compliant face fines as high as $10,000 and the possible immediate suspense of liquor licenses. Currently, according to the New York State Health Department, there are 415,014 total cases in New York State and 25,150 people have died.
