In two weeks, indoor dining is returning to New York City. But it's unlikely the waiter serving meals on Valentine's Day will have had their vaccine just yet. 

The coronavirus, including its variants and mutations could linger "for years" Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said, but the economy can't wait in deep freeze. 

"If your premise is don't open the economy until no people are infected with COVID -- that may not open for years," Cuomo said. "I don't think its realistic to say don't open the economy until COVID is solved.'

Reopening restaurants potentially puts workers in harm's way of contracting the virus. But it also will put money in their pockets beyond waiting for a stimulus check or pandemic unemployment aid from the federal government. 

"The economic concerns are real. People need to work," Cuomo said. "They need to pay for their rent, they need to buy for food, they need to buy clothes. They need income." 

That's the balance Cuomo is pushing for as the pandemic stretches into its 11th month. He wants to reopen restaurants and allow for public gatherings at sporting events and performing arts venues with a reliance on rapid tests to guard against a sick person spreading the vrus. 

It's a strategy that's meant to get the economy through what has so far been a slog of a vaccine rollout. There now 7 million New Yorkers eligible for the vaccine; the state receives about 300,000 doses a week. 

Cuomo was critical of calls to expand eligibility quickly. He has placed an emphasis on health care workers getting the first round of doses. So far, about 70% of the hospital workforce has done so, all have been offered.

"Tell me who you want to remove from eligibility. You want to add someone? We already don't have enough," Cuomo said.  

"It's a cheap, insincere discussion. Yes, I would like to make restaurant workers eligible. It makes total sense. But what does eligibility mean when we don't have the supply necessary?