#Gov. Cuomo scolds Queens bars, NYPD over social distancing enforcement

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday demanded the NYPD do more to enforce social distancing rules — as he announced Queens bars and restaurants had received the bulk of violations a day earlier.

State police and the State Liquor Authority “are continuing to try to fill the vacuum left by local enforcement” in some parts of the state, he told reporters.

Authorities handed out 26 violations to venues a day earlier for breaking coronavirus rules, including 16 in Queens, one in the Bronx, two in Brooklyn, five in Manhattan and two in Nassau County.

“Come on Queens,” the governor chided, adding: “We need the NYPD to step up and help in New York City.”

“We need local governments across the board to also be doing their job.”

Nevertheless, Cuomo said the state had hit its lowest rate of positive coronavirus tests recorded over a one-day period since the start of the pandemic.

The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was .078 percent Saturday, out of 65,812 people getting tested, Cuomo said — lower than the around 1 percent rate New York had been hovering at.

“It’s great news,” the governor said. “Really incredible achievement by New Yorkers.”

The infection rate is well below the 5 percent threshold recommended by the World Health Organization for general reopening and adopted by the state.

The state also recorded seven fatalities recorded Saturday, bringing the Empire State’s death toll to 25,202.

Cuomo said 548 people are hospitalized with the virus statewide, with 131 in intensive care, “the lowest number we’ve had in ICU since we started,” in March.

Addressing the reopening of schools, Cuomo repeated guidelines he issued on Friday stating that all districts must set dates for three to five virtual discussions with parents before Aug. 21 and also have one separate consultation with teachers alone.

“If the teachers do not agree to come back it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to operate school,” the governor said.

“If the parents don’t agree to send their children to school I don’t know how you have school without students.”

The Department of Education is going through reopening plans from the state’s 700 districts, including a supplemental plan submitted by New York City, and will have a status update ready by Monday, Cuomo said.