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COVID-19 Digest: August 31

COVID-19 Digest: August 31

August 31, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 13 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Monday, August 31, 2020As NYC’s reopening and recovery efforts continue, the digest will focus on the resources that help you make decisions about your businesses and your lives as New Yorkers.Below and in our resource guide, you’ll find the latest information on government resources for businesses, city and state reopening measures, and return-to-office preparedness plans. If this can be useful to your colleagues and network, encourage them to sign up here.Programming note: after a summer break last week, we’re back (we missed you)! In today’s digest, you’ll find the regular latest news plus some that you might have missed last week.

The Latest in New York

The latest: NYC stalls city staff cut, seeks alternate budget saving means; teachers union dissent continues with school reopening looming closer; MTA warns of 40 percent service cut as it faces $12 billion shortage; Airbnb commits to WFH through August 2021.Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 434,756 (+656)
New York City: 234,237 (+268)
Statewide Fatalities: 25,328 (+1)
Daily NYC Infection Rate: 0.9 percent (+0.2 percent)

General Updates:

Over the weekend, the US surpassed six million coronavirus cases, accounting for almost a quarter of the 25 million cases globally. (NBC News) New York’s numbers continue to hold steady, as the state conducted a record 100,000+ daily tests and marked 24 straight days of a positivity rate below one percent. (NYS)
Layoff notices were expected for 22,000 municipal workers today, but Mayor de Blasio postponed the cuts to allow more time to find alternative cost-saving measures. (Wall Street Journal) The city has to balance a $9 billion deficit over the next two years, and the City Council is now joining the Mayor in asking Gov. Cuomo for the authority to borrow funds to stave off the layoffs. (NY1)
Last week, five states were removed from New York’s travel advisory — Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Maryland, and Montana. Thirty-one states and territories remain on the list, which you can see here.
Gov. Cuomo recently announced a number of executive orders meant to prepare the state for Election Day. They include expanding resources to handle an anticipated huge increase in mail-in ballots. All New Yorkers will be able to request an absentee ballot (by Oct. 27) due to COVID-related concerns. (New York Daily News) In other voting news: Madison Square Garden is opening its door for the first time to serve as a polling site, both for early voting and on Election Day. (Gothamist)

One reminder: It’s New York’s Census Day of Action! There are 30 days left to complete the census and ensure New York gets the funding and resources it needs for the next decade. If you haven’t already, be sure to complete the form online here.

One good read: From a Staten Island bakery to a boiler factory in Queens, these businesses, all over 100 years old, have survived the Depression, war, and now the pandemic (New York Times)

Another good read: Patti Smith Isn’t Worried About New York City’s Future (Wall Street Journal)

Survey

The latest results: With just over two months until Election Day, and as anxiety looms about mail-in voting and a struggling US Postal Service, several officials are urging us to make plans now and vote as early as possible. What’s your plan for voting this year?

32.3%: I plan to vote in-person during early voting
22.6%: I plan to vote in-person on Election Day
34.2%: I plan to vote via absentee ballot / vote-by-mail
11.0%: I have not decided

Today’s poll: As summer wanes, September often marks a natural point of transition in people’s daily lives — summer vacations are over, students return to school, and busy work schedules ramp back up. The ongoing pandemic, however, could upend much of the fall season we’re used to. As schools reopen, and as pressure mounts for the reopening of other businesses like indoor restaurants and gyms, what do you think the city will look like this fall?

*|SURVEY: Conditions will get better|*
*|SURVEY: Conditions will get worse|*
*|SURVEY: Conditions will remain the same as they are now|*

Find the poll results from all previous editions of this newsletter here.

What You Need to Know

What to Know: Reopening:

Schools: It’s less than two weeks before NYC schools are set to reopen, and while plans are moving forward, some are urging caution. (NPR) Teacher groups are still not convinced the city has put enough safety measures in place. (Gothamist) Some popular ideas: creating open-air classrooms in outdoor spaces like schoolyards, city parks, and even closed city streets. (Gothamist) That would only be a temporary solution. As winter comes and everything moves indoors, the risk of spread is expected to go back up. (POLITICO) And if the virus doesn’t force schools to go remote, education budget cuts may, like they have for Albany schools. (Times Union) To see the latest on each district’s reopening status, Education Week is updating this tracker.
Higher education: If any public or private college experiences 100 COVID-19 cases or an outbreak equal to five percent of its population, whichever is less, it must go to remote-only instruction for two weeks while the situation is evaluated. (New York Post) That new rule has already forced SUNY Oneonta to suspend in-person instruction for at least two weeks. (NY State of Politics)
Transit: The MTA has said it will need as much as $12 billion in federal aid to avoid slashing service. (New York Times) With ridership still at only a quarter of its normal levels and stimulus negotiations stalled in Washington, the agency has said subway and bus service could be cut by 40 percent, fare increases are likely, and planned upgrades and infrastructure projects would all be scrapped. And for much-needed revenue, all city buses have resumed front-door loading and fare collection beginning today. (CBS New York)
Restaurants: Outdoor dining has been a hit, with more than 10,000 restaurants setting up sidewalk and street seating in NYC. (New York Times) But with outdoor seating alone, most are still operating at a fraction of their usual capacity and struggling to stay afloat. Mayor de Blasio said there is not yet any plan for the return of indoor dining, hinting that it will depend on how school reopenings go. (Eater NY) Yet just today, a group of restaurants sued the city and state, claiming that there is no basis to prohibit indoor dining when it is allowed throughout the rest of the state. (Crain’s NY) New Jersey, however, will allow indoor dining beginning Friday. (NBC New York)
Museums: The MoMA and the Met have both reopened. Capacity is limited to 25 percent, temperature checks and face masks are mandatory, and advance ticket sales are required. (New York Times) Other museums are set to reopen in the coming month — the Whitney opens Sept. 3, the American Museum of Natural History opens Sept. 9, and the Guggenheim opens Oct. 3.