NY's 11 p.m. curfew for bars, restaurants to be extended to midnight

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo says hours for New York's curfew rule for bars and restaurants amid COVID-19 are being extended.

Starting April 19, establishments will be able to remain open until midnight. For months, these establishments could be open no later than 11 p.m.

Catered events will also gain an hour of operation, and will be able to run until 1 a.m.

During a conference call Wednesday, the governor also announced spectators will soon be allowed at auto and horse racing events.

Starting next Friday, spectators will be able to attend outdoor events at 20% capacity.

The announcement comes a day after Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Buffalo Bills games at Highmark Stadium will be open for full capacity - as long as all those in attendance are vaccinated.

When asked about this Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo said the state would have to sign off on any such decision. He added, with the start of the football season several months away and the presence of many unknowns, ranging from presence of variants to vaccine effectiveness, he thinks it's too soon to make any such decisions.

"We tend to work in a collaborative with local governments, and we’re just not there yet, to make those decisions," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the governor gave a briefing from Nassau County, where he detailed plans to build a new arena for the New York Islanders. The briefing was closed to the press.

As of Wednesday, New York's positivity rate stands at 2.97%. About 12.5 million shots have been provided to date.

Listen to the live call below.