COVID-19 Digest: March 23

COVID-19 Digest: March 23

March 23, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Monday, March 23, 2020Tech:NYC’s COVID-19 resource guide is available here. It’s updated daily with the latest info from across the NYC tech sector.Email us at [email protected] with anything you’d like to see included in an upcoming email or with other feedback. Please share this with your networks and encourage your colleagues to sign up here.One of the reasons we started this digest was to share our members’ various guidelines for employees as the coronavirus spread in NYC. Now that basically all of our network is working from home, we’re beginning to consider the next phase of impacts for our community. This digest will evolve to do the same — as the nature of the pandemic evolves, so too will our community’s responses and needs. If there are other topics or resources that would be helpful in future editions of this digest, please let us know here.

The Latest in New York

The latest: New York the new coronavirus “epicenter”; today’s poll on closing NYC parks; a potential $6 billion tax revenue loss; and stories we loved to start your week.Confirmed Cases: 

  • New York State: 20,875 (+13,773)*

  • New York City: 12,305 (+7,897)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 157 (+122)

* New confirmed case counts are in the aggregate as of our last newsletter

General Updates:

  • With five percent of global cases and about half of all cases nationally, New York becomes a new epicenter of the growing pandemic. (New York Times | WSJ)

  • Gov. Cuomo orders hospitals statewide to increase capacity by at least 50 percent. (NY1) Meanwhile, work is underway to convert Manhattan’s Javits Center to a field hospital that may ultimately house 2,000 beds. (New York Postt) 

  • New York State is sending 430,000 surgical masks, 169,000 N-95 masks, 176,000 gloves, 72,000 gowns, and 98,000 faceshields to NYC, (Tweet), but that pales next to the quantity Mayor de Blasio is requesting from the federal government. (POLITICO)

  • New York State released answers to common questions around the closure of non-essential businesses’ offices, including whether you are still allowed to pick up the mail (you can!). (ESD)

Request: New York State is looking for companies that can assist in producing and supplying a number of emergency items, including respirators, masks, and other PPE materials. See the list of items and specifications here, and fill out this form if your company is able to meet these needs.

 

Survey

Friday’s results: Do you think your company would consider taking out a no-interest bridge loan right now?

  • Absolutely yes: 60%

  • Would consider: 30%

  • Probably not: 2.5%

  • No: 7.5%

Today’s flash survey:

Over the weekend, many New Yorker's flocked to our city's great parks, where social distancing was not consistently practiced. Last night, Gov. Cuomo gave the Mayor and City Council Speaker 24 hours

to address crowding. What do you think the city should do?

  • *|SURVEY: Close the parks|*

  • *|SURVEY: Keep the parks open, but close playgrounds, athletic fields, tennis and basketball courts|*

  • *|SURVEY: Keep everything open, but stronger enforcement of social distancing|*

  • *|SURVEY: Keep things as are|*

Your answers are anonymous and we’ll share results here.

What You Need to Know

WORKPLACE TOOLS: 

  • Bravely: offering your employees a free, 45-minute live webinar about optimizing their success and happiness throughout their WFH experience, plus a free individual coaching session to everyone who registers. If you’re interested, reach out here.

  • Journey: offering free friend and family access to live meditation classes, get more details via this link; also offering classes on Zoom for corporate partners or companies who are interested while their teams are remote. Reach out here for more details.

  • Justworks: a guide on navigating COVID-19 for employers, being updated regularly; a public, collaborative Google doc of remote life resources.

  • PwC: new data surveying 50 CFOs on their plans to react to COVID-19 and what impacts they expect to see.

  • Reminder: Tech:NYC’s COVID-19 resource guide is available here.

  • Request: please let us know as your work-from-home policies are extended or what plans your companies have as they are reassessed. Sharing this information is helpful to companies and employees across the NYC ecosystem and can be kept anonymous.

  • Read: A look at some NYC institutions—the Navy Yard, the 92nd Street Y, FreshDirect, and others—and how they are navigating these uncertain times. (Crain's)

POLICY UPDATES:

  • On Sunday, Gov. Cuomo expressed dismay at the lack of social distancing taking place in NYC parks and public spaces. He then directed NYC to come up with a plan to address the issue, suggesting the potential of closing certain streets to cars and opening them to pedestrians. (POLITICO)

  • New York City Comptroller Stringer has cautioned that New York City stands to lose $6 billion in tax revenue due to the impacts of COVID-19. (Crain’s)

  • The U.S. Senate failed to come to an agreement on an economic stimulus rescue package, and will continue negotiations. (New York Times)

EVENTS:

  • March 24: Virtual: How to Ace Your Remote Pitch with Yang 2020 Senior Communications Strategist Michael Hoeppner. Hosted by NYU Data Future Lab. (Details)

  • March 25: Webinar: Navigating the Remote Workplace. Hosted by Eden, Donut, Electric, and Justworks. (Details)

  • March 25: Webinar: Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Business, with Tech:NYC, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and the NYC Hospitality Alliance. Hosted by Savills (with our own Julie Samuels!). (Details)

  • March 25: Virtual: Remote Work for Startup Founders, with Help Scout, Friday, and RemoteHQ. Hosted by Silicon Valley Bank. (Details)

  • March 25: Virtual: Venture Capital Advice for Startups, with Female Founders Fund, Bowery Capital, Lerer Hippeau, and Common. Hosted by Stacklist. Use code TECHNYC for 50% off registration. (Details)

  • March 26: Tech:NYC Virtual Book Club: Golden Gates with Conor Doughterty. (RSVP for login instructions)

  • March 29: Virtual: brunchwork from home with Google’s Head of UX Design and the founder of Oatly. Hosted by brunchwork. Use code VIPFRIENDS to get 40% off. (Details)

A few stories we loved to start your week:

  • For some hauntingly beautiful photos: The Great Empty (New York Times)

  • Local news, coronavirus and NYC: A timely reminder of why solid, sober journalism matters (NY1 News anchor Roma Torre in NY Daily News)

  • I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share. (New York Times)

When In Doubt

Check these sources for verified information from government agencies and public health authorities: