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COVID-19 Digest: July 21

COVID-19 Digest: July 21

July 21, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Tuesday, July 21, 2020As NYC begins reopening, 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.

The Latest in New York

The latest: Latest Senate stimulus proposal slashes state aid; NY’s quarantine travel advisory list grows to 31 states; Staten Islanders want their mall reopened, despite state and city guidance; one in four NYC employers to reduce office space. Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 408,181 (+855)
New York City: 222,094 (+391)
Statewide Fatalities: 25,058 (+2)
Daily NYC Infection Rate: 1.4 percent (+0.1 percent)

General Updates:

Gov. Cuomo added ten more states to New York’s quarantine travel advisory, bringing the total to 31. Minnesota has been removed from the list. Get the updated list of applicable states and requirements here.
The CDC said today that the number of people infected far exceeds the number of reported cases in parts of the US. (New York Times) In NYC, public hospital testing sites are struggling to produce timely test results, with delays up to as much as 10-14 days in some cases. (THE CITY) Increased testing delays lead to less meaningful, potentially useless results, imprecise contact tracing, and heightened infection potential if asymptomatic people fail to self-isolate.
Senate Republicans outlined their opening proposal for the next relief package, which includes $105 billion for schools, additional funding for a small business loan program, and another round of direct payments to Americans. (New York Times) It does not include direct relief for states and cities, which New York has been pushing for.
Mayor de Blasio announced a tenant-landlord mediation portal that will launch in 27 neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic. (NY1) The project is meant to facilitate rent and payment plan negotiations outside of housing court when the eviction moratorium expires.
Scientists have now identified six types of COVID infections, based on a cluster of symptoms and increasing severity levels. (Telegraph) Another dynamic that medical experts are paying attention to: what happens when COVID-19 meets the upcoming flu season. (The Guardian)

One fun opportunity: Guest Collective, a group representing the guest perspective to ensure the prosperity of NYC’s hospitality industry, launched Love Letters, an interactive tool mapping New Yorkers’ tributes to their favorite restaurants. Contribute your own love letter here.

One fun, non-COVID read: The remarkable stories of the nine other women in RBG’s 1959 Harvard Law School class (Slate)

Survey

The latest results: Are you planning to tune in when live sports is back on television?

32.9%: Yes, I can’t wait and I don’t know how I survived so long without sports
19.7%: Yes, I’ll watch, but only because it’s on
47.4%: No, I don’t plan to watch

Today’s poll: Indoor dining, which was supposed to come back in limited capacity in Phase III, is still not permitted in Phase IV, due to the national surge in cases coupled with inadequate social distancing at outdoor restaurants in the city. No timetable for when we can expect to dine in a restaurant or bar has been announced. When do you think you will feel comfortable sitting down in a restaurant or bar again for the first time?

*|SURVEY: As soon as possible|*
*|SURVEY: In the fall or winter|*
*|SURVEY: Not until 2021 or later|*
*|SURVEY: Not until there's a vaccine|*

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

What You Need to Know

What to Know: Reopening:

Some Staten Island businesses and officials are asking that the Staten Island Mall be allowed to reopen, thus exempted from the indoor activity ban in NYC’s Phase IV guidance. Proponents say the mall has been adequately prepped with air filtration, sanitization, and signage. (Staten Island Advance)