NYC Coronavirus Update: Possible Shutdown After Christmas
NYC Coronavirus Update: Possible Shutdown After Christmas
Quick digest and NYC coronavirus update:
- New York City has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, with a positivity rate of 4.2% last week.
- 3-K, Pre-K, and elementary schools reopened on Monday, December 7th. Schools in orange COVID-19 zones reopened on Wednesday, December 9th.
- A total of 42,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have arrived so far. New York City expects a total of 465,000 doses in December.
- Restrictions by Governor Andrew Cuomo include prohibtted indoor dining for restaurants, bars, and cafes, they can, however, host takeout and delivery.
- NYC may be facing a shutdown after Christmas, says Mayor de Blasio.
Latest COVID news in NYC:
New York City is in phase 4 of reopening, which includes zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and gyms. Due to rising hospitalization rates, Governor Andrew Cuomo has suspended indoor dining in NYC starting Monday, December 14th.
NYC public schools partially reopened on December 7th for 3K-5th grade students, with students with special needs returning on December 10th. Certain parts of Staten Island remain under a zoned shutdown.
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Will NYC shut down after Christmas?
As of December 17, 2020, New York City has seen a total of 370,000 coronavirus cases. The positivity rate refers to the percent of people testing positive out of total tests administered. The city is seeing a steady increase in the number of cases and is possibly approaching a second wave.
On Tuesday, December 15th, Mayor de Blasio said a full shutdown of nonessential city businesses is needed to dull the impact of a second coronavirus wave, but he’d prefer to see it begin after Christmas. However, this is not yet confirmed and Governor Cuomo will ultimately have to make this decision.
What are the COVID restrictions in NYC?
Due to recent surges in COVID-19 cases in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has instituted restrictions.
These are the NYC restrictions as of December 17th, 2020:
- Beginning Monday, December 14, all restaurants and bars must close indoor dining until further notice. Outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery are still allowed.
- Restaurants and bars are still required to close outdoor dining from 10 PM to 5 AM daily. Takeout and delivery are still allowed after 10 PM, except for alcoholic beverages.
- Gyms are allowed to operate at a limited capacity.
Will gyms, bars, and restaurants have to close in NYC?
Indoor dining is not allowed as of right now in NYC. However, takeout and delivery are still available. Gyms remain open at a limited capacity.
Other nonessential businesses are still permitted to remain open at a limited capacity. In addition, many public schools are still open, but if there is an NYC coronavirus surge, there may need to be a transition to remote learning.
This could change if city public health officials enforce stricter rules.
NYC Second wave- Is it happening?
“We have to stop a second wave from happening here,” Mayor de Blasio said during a news press conference. “It is getting dangerously close.”
While New York City has not declared an official second wave of COVID-19, city officials are concerned since the number of new cases has reached above 1,000 for five days in a row. In contrast, the cases were mostly in the 500 to 700 range in early October. At the peak of the pandemic, the city reported over 5,000 cases on a single day.
In order to lessen the strain on the hospital system and avoid another NYC lockdown, it is important to get your flu shot as soon as possible. In addition, people are hopeful that the COVID plan proposed by Joe Biden along with other public health measures will help us avoid a bad second wave of COVID-19 this winter.
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Can I travel in and out of New York?
Yes, you can still travel in and out of New York but some travel restrictions apply. If you are traveling into New York from a state with a high volume of COVID-19 cases, you must quarantine for 14 days.
There is now an option to test out of this 14-day quarantine if you obtain a negative diagnostic test within three days of departure. In addition, you must quarantine for 3 days and get another COVID-19 test after 4 days of travel. If that test is also negative, you may end your quarantine early.
You may leave New York to travel to other places in the United States, but you must abide by each individual state’s travel restrictions. If you leave New York for over 24 hours, you must abide by New York testing and quarantine restrictions when you return.
Helpful Resources and Frequently Asked Questions:
Not sure what to do during lockdown? See our article 7 things to do during quarantine
Can I see my family for Thanksgiving? See our article Is Thanksgiving 2020 Cancelled?
Need a COVID-19 Test in NYC? See our article on testing locations NYC
Sources:
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/11/world/covid-19-coronavirus-live-updates
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/nyregion/second-coronavirus-wave-.html
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-covid-nyc-shutdown-de-blasio-20201215-mpnrozschrdgjpeizebzutsrba-story.html
The Mira Research team conducts original data and medical research on the most applicable topics of today and translates them into easy-to-understand articles to educate the public. Each of our articles is carefully reviewed and curated with interviews and opinions from medical experts, public health officials, and experienced administrators. The team has educational backgrounds from New York University, the University of Virginia, more.
