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COVID-19 Digest: June 3

COVID-19 Digest: June 3

June 03, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Wednesday, June 3, 2020Please share this with your networks and encourage your colleagues to sign up here.Tech:NYC’s resource guide includes information on government resources for businesses, new health tracking and treatment tools, and a new section with return-to-office preparedness plans and resources. It will be updated regularly.

The Latest in New York

The latest: NYC still on track for June 8 reopening; everything you need to know about curfew; outdoor dining resumes tomorrow in Phase II regions; mutual aid networks help direct localized relief to black and brown neighborhoods in NYC.Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 374,085 (+1,045)
New York City: 204,872 (+495)
Statewide Fatalities: 24,079 (+49)

General Updates:

NYC is planning to begin reopening this Monday, June 8, and Mayor de Blasio said protests won’t affect the schedule. (New York Times) Gov. Cuomo expressed concern that mass protests throughout the city could cause a second spike in COVID-19 cases and jeopardize the reopening timeline. (New York Daily News)
The citywide curfew was extended at least through the rest of the week, in effect from 8pm – 5am nightly through the morning of June 8. (New York Times) More on that below.
The MTA is planning to resume full service on NYC’s June 8 reopening date. One caveat: trains will continue to stop service from 1am to 5am for nightly sanitization. (New York Post)
The Safer NY Act, a package of five bills already in the State legislature, has suddenly become even more relevant. Among the proposals is a repeal of Section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law. (Fast Company) Gov. Cuomo has said that 50-a has been misused and does not prevent releasing disciplinary files. (Times Union)
One other thing: The Plug aggregated statements from over 150 tech companies on racial justice, including the amount of money they have committed to donate, in a public database here.

One helpful resource: Anti-racist Resource Guide for the Tech & VC Community, compiled by the Female Founders Fund. (Click here)

Survey

The latest results: If new City Council legislation to open sidewalks to restaurants passes, would you be comfortable dining outdoors at a restaurant?

74.3%: Yes
25.7%: No

Today’s poll: Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio remain committed to a June 8 reopening date in NYC. Do you think the date should be pushed back due to ongoing protest activities?

*|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

The curfew, explained:

This week, a citywide curfew was instituted through the rest of the week, taking effect nightly from 8pm – 5am. (New York Times)
The decision to instate a curfew marks NYC’s first since World War II, with veteran law enforcement officials calling this week’s protests far worse than the 1960s riots. (New York Times)
At least 40 cities and Washington D.C. have now imposed curfews of various lengths. (CNN)
A few details about the curfew:
- During this time, the subway will continue to operate on its limited schedule to transport essential workers and will continue to shut down from 1am – 5am daily. Busses will continue to run all night. (Curbed NY)
- Food deliveries are considered essential services and thus still permitted, but curfew rules have been confusing for restaurant and delivery workers. (Eater NY)
- During curfew hours, roads below 96th Street in Manhattan are closed to car traffic, except for essential workers and deliveries. (New York Daily News) The city has also mandated that rideshare services like Uber, Lyft, and Via pause operations at the start of the curfew until 12:30am each night. (CNN) Citi Bike and Revel have been made to suspend service for the full curfew window. (Streetsblog)
- You may take pets outside during curfew hours to relieve themselves, but only in the immediate vicinity of your home.
Those exempt from the curfew include healthcare workers and other workers for businesses deemed essential under the PAUSE order, people seeking medical treatment, the homeless, and members of the press. (NYC)
For a full FAQ of other curfew questions, click here.

What to Know: Reopening:

The Capital region joins Western New York and five other upstate regions in moving to Phase II of its reopening plan. (NBC New York) That means offices and professional services, real estate services, some in-store retails, and salon and barber shops in that region may reopen, with safety and social distancing measures in place. Find New York’s guidelines for Phase II-eligible businesses here.
Outdoor dining at restaurants that have begun Phase II will be permitted beginning tomorrow. Tables must be spaced at least six feet apart, all staff must wear face coverings, and customers must also wear face coverings when not seated. (ABC News)
Dentists’ offices have also reopened statewide. They will be allowed to perform all services, but are subject to safety and social distancing guidelines. (Newsday)