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COVID-19 Digest: June 22

COVID-19 Digest: June 22

June 22, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 13 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Monday, June 22, 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: MTA ridership up to almost one million daily; primaries are tomorrow, we break down the need-to-know for voting; NYC entered Phase II ushering in outdoor dining and more; nearly 300,000 returned to work but landlords estimate offices are less than 20 percent full. Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 388,488 (+552)
New York City: 212,741 (+295)
Statewide Fatalities: 24,739 (+10)
Daily NYC Infection Rate: 1.1 percent (no change)

General Updates:

NYC entered Phase II of reopening today, which means outdoor dining, offices, salons and barbershops, in-store retail, and other businesses are all starting up again across the five boroughs. (New York Times) Get the details below.
Tomorrow is New York’s primary election, where New Yorkers will cast ballots for president and in various Congressional, State Senate, and State Assembly races. (Wall Street Journal) More on that below.
NYC has hired more than 3,000 contact tracers to track potential spread, but just over one-third of people who have tested positive gave those tracers information on their recent social contacts. (New York Times)
As NYC more broadly reopens, the MTA is close to topping one million daily riders back on the subway. (NY1) But without more federal funds, the agency could be out of cash by early July. (Bloomberg)
With Phase II underway, the city’s hospital system is also gearing up for more in-person visits. (New York Daily News)

One quick announcement: today we’re excited to welcome Ryan Naples as Tech:NYC’s new deputy director! Ryan will be point on our policy and political work. Send him a note to say hello!One useful read: If you’re confused about the seemingly random fireworks every night, you’re not alone. Here’s what we know. (Business Insider)

Survey

The latest results: Is your company observing Juneteenth with time off?

48.9%: Yes
51.1%: No

Today’s poll: With Phase II beginning in NYC today, offices are permitted to reopen, and as many as 300,000 workers are expected to get back to work. Did you return to the office today?

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

Reminder: If you haven’t already, please help us get to know you better by completing our quick audience survey here. Find the poll results from all previous editions of this newsletter here.

What You Need to Know

New York Primaries:

Tomorrow is Election Day! Polls will be open to cast your ballot on a whole host of races. (New York Times) Here’s a helpful guide on each of the contests. (Patch)
- You’ll be able to cast your vote in the Democratic presidential primary, and you’ll notice several names of candidates who have withdrawn from the race. Here’s why.
- You’ll also vote in your local State Senate and Assembly races, and if you’re in Queens, there’s a special election for the next Borough President. Get a peek at what your ballot will look like here.
Here’s how to make sure your vote is counted:
- If you requested an absentee ballot, it must be postmarked by tomorrow. Don’t forget to sign and date the back of the envelope!
- If your absentee ballot never arrived — or even if you got an absentee ballot but haven’t completed it — you can still show up to your poll site tomorrow and vote in-person instead. If you do, be sure to wear a mask!
In-person poll sites have been adapted to meet social distancing guidelines, including clear partitions for check-in with poll workers, single use pens for filling out the ballot, and other spacing measures.
But with so many people opting to avoid in-person voting and instead sending in absentee ballots, it could be weeks before all the ballots are processed and we know the official results. (New York Times)

What to Know: Reopening:

NYC entered Phase II of reopening today, which means outdoor dining, salons and barbershops, in-store retail, and real estate showings are all starting up again — all with social distancing and other safety measures in place. (NY1)

Here’s what to know about outdoor dining:
- Outdoor tables must be at least six feet apart. All staff must wear masks, and all customers must also wear masks when not seated. No more than 10 people can be seated at a table. (Grub Street)
- Enforcement is being expanded, and if restaurants are found in violation of social distancing guidelines, their liquor license — or even the authorization to be open at all — can be revoked. (New York Daily News)
- The city’s official guidance to restaurants and bars can be found here. Those wishing to open using sidewalk, patio, or street space must self-certify as an open-air restaurant via this portal.
- Here’s a useful FAQ on all your other questions about how eating out will work. (Eater NY) And if you’re eager to eat out, here’s 28 suggestions of restaurants open with outdoor space beginning this week. (Eater NY) And here's 20 more! (Guest of a Guest)
Salons and barbershops are able to reopen by appointment at 50 percent maximum capacity, and for hair services only — facials, massages, and nail services are still prohibited. Here’s some tips for a low-risk salon visit. (New York Times)
Non-essential businesses may reopen for in-person retail at maximum 50 percent capacity. Both employees and customers are required to wear masks and maintain six feet of social distancing.
Houses of worship will also be allowed to reopen with 25 percent occupancy of the space in which they choose to conduct services. (NY1)
Playgrounds also reopened today, and “social distancing ambassadors” will be monitoring crowding and distributing masks to those without one. (Gothamist)
Estimates show that as many as 300,000 workers are returning to businesses and offices this week. (CBS New York)
To get the full guidance, including that for all other Phase II eligible businesses, click here. And remember, the pandemic isn’t over. (New York Times)

In other reopening news:

AMC Theaters will reopen most of its 600 U.S. locations on July 15, initially at reduced capacity and with staggered seating. (Hollywood Reporter)
The Yankees and the Mets are returning to New York to resume spring training for the 2020 MLB season. (CBS News)

What to Know: Return-to-Office:

Here’s the safety guidance on office reopenings in Phase II (NYS):
- Offices may reopen but only with maximum 50 percent occupancy at any given time;
- Daily screening for employees (eg. health questionnaires, temperature checks) are required;
- Masks, plexi-glass or other barriers are required where at least six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained;
- Distance markers or other signage is required in close quarters like restrooms and breakrooms;
- In-person meetings should be limited, and always observe social distancing;
- Communal sharing of food or beverages is prohibited.
But just because employees can go back to offices, it doesn’t mean they will. Many companies still see the virus as enough of a threat to delay bringing their employees back for months, if not longer. (New York Times) Landlords expect only 10 to 20 percent of Manhattan’s office workers will have returned today. (Wall Street Journal)