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COVID-19 Digest: June 15

COVID-19 Digest: June 15

June 15, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Monday, June 15, 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: Council Members want $1 billion cut from NYPD; restaurants skirt social distancing, Gov. Cuomo threatens consequences; gatherings up to 25 people permitted in Phase III; workers want to go back to offices for data security, Xerox study finds. Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 383,944 (+620)
New York City: 210,259 (+381)
Statewide Fatalities: 24,579 (+27)
Daily Infection Rate: 1.3 percent (-0.1 percent)

One note: beginning today, we’re including the daily NYC COVID-19 positive testing rate. As the other numbers continue to fall, the daily infection rate is now the most important and accurate indicator in predicting future risk of transmission.

General Updates:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are going down — but that’s mainly because coronavirus cases in New York are going down. The state is making national trends look better than they are. (Axios)
Following reports of large gatherings outside bars and restaurants, Gov. Cuomo issued a warning that if local governments fail to enforce social distancing rules, he may have to reverse reopening plans. (New York Daily News) More on that below.
NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson, together with seven Council Members, is calling for $1 billion in cuts to the NYPD’s budget in the next fiscal cycle. (New York Daily News) And at the state level, Gov. Cuomo plans to sign additional police reform measures today. (amNY)
New York is extending the open enrollment period to get health insurance through the state marketplace to July 15. Learn more here.
The early voting period kicked off this weekend for the June 23 primaries. (Gothamist) Seventy-nine poll sites are open during the period; find yours here. If you’d prefer to avoid in-person polls due to COVID-19, you can vote by absentee ballot. The deadline to apply for a ballot is tomorrow, June 16.

One thing to celebrate: today, the Supreme Court affirmed the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. It’s a landmark moment, and we’re thrilled to see it. Happy Pride! (New York Times)

Survey

The latest results: Are you planning to travel or take a vacation later this summer?

10.6%: Yes, but I’m planning to do a staycation
33.5%: Yes, but I’m staying within the metro region
37.4%: Yes, I’m traveling outside the metro region
18.4%: No

Today’s poll: This weekend saw several instances of people ignoring social distancing protocols, crowding outdoors around bars and restaurants, raising concerns that they’re getting ahead of the city's reopening plan. Do you think the crowding will force NYC to delay moving into Phase II?

*|SURVEY: Yes|*
*|SURVEY: No|*

Find the poll results from all previous editions of this newsletter here. If you have a question you’d like to ask the broader community in this newsletter, send us your ideas and we’ll try to include them!

What You Need to Know

Reopening (or Reversing) Restaurants:

This weekend, Gov. Cuomo issued a warning to New Yorkers amid reports of people flouting social distancing protocols and crowding the streets. (Grub Street) Industry leaders are also calling for more caution, saying bars and restaurants must be ready to get back to business, but in a way that doesn’t backfire later. (Twitter)
- More than 25,000 complaints have come in statewide about the crowding, with most detailing large gatherings outside bars and restaurants serving takeout drinks.
- But even as takeout cocktails are permitted, open container laws are still in effect that prohibit public drinking on sidewalks and streets.
- The majority of these violations are occurring in Manhattan and the Hamptons, two places the governor specifically called out in requesting more be done to enforce social distancing measures. If local governments are unable to enforce those rules, the governor said the state would have to take action, potentially reversing reopening plans in those places.
While NYC is still in Phase I, where only takeout and delivery is permitted, the picture elsewhere across the tri-state looks different:
- New Jersey lifted its stay-at-home order and quickly forged ahead to Phase II of its reopening plans to allow for outdoor dining across the state. (NBC New York)
- Connecticut is also permitting outdoor dining — and has been for almost a month now. Beginning Wednesday, restaurants will be able to open their doors for indoor dining as well, but many restaurant owners are concerned that it's still just too soon. (Hartford Courant)

What to Know: Reopening:

Western NY will enter Phase III tomorrow, and the Capital region will enter Phase III Wednesday. (NBC New York) Those regions in Phase III will begin permitting gatherings of up to 25 people, up from 10. (NY State of Politics)
Summer sleepaway camps will be prohibited in New York amid concerns over spreading the virus. (NY State of Politics)
Youth sports will be permitted to resume in the regions in Phase III of reopening, making it possible for Little League baseball, cross country, gymnastics, and other sports to resume after July 6. The rules also allow for a maximum of two spectators per child. (New York Post)