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COVID-19 Digest: September 1

COVID-19 Digest: September 1

September 01, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Tuesday, September 1, 2020As NYC’s reopening and recovery efforts continue, 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: NYC strikes deal with teachers union, delaying school reopening; NYC gyms reopen tomorrow at limited capacity; several airlines remove domestic change fees to encourage more travel; HBR study finds “knowledge workers” more productive at home. Confirmed Cases:

New York State: 435,510 (+754)
New York City: 234,542 (+305)
Statewide Fatalities: 25,331 (+3)
Daily NYC Infection Rate: 0.9 percent (no change)

General Updates:

New York conducted more than 75,000 tests yesterday and has now logged 25 straight days of a positivity rate below one percent. (NYS) But recent outbreaks in Buffalo and other upstate cities threaten to derail that track record. (Buffalo News)
After weeks of uncertainty about NYC’s final school reopening plans, Mayor de Blasio announced the city will delay the start of school until Sept. 21. (New York Times) More on that below.
Alaska and Montana were re-added to New York’s travel advisory after confirmed case counts in those states went back up. (Gothamist) They join 31 other states and territories still on the list of places from which travelers must quarantine for 14 days.
Barclays Center will join Madison Square Garden in serving as an early voting and Election Day polling site. (New York Daily News)
And reminder: if you’re planning to vote by mail in the upcoming election, make sure you request your ballot with enough time to ensure it can actually be returned and counted on time. Here’s what to expect in each state. In NYC, you can request an absentee ballot here now through October 27. For residents elsewhere in the state, click here.

One good read: Obviously, New York Is A Fiery Hellscape of Crime, Anarchy, and Misery (New York Magazine)

Survey

The latest results: As schools reopen, and as pressure mounts for the reopening of other businesses like indoor restaurants and gyms, what do you think the city will look like this fall?

10.3%: Conditions will get better
59.4%: Conditions will get worse
30.3%: Conditions will remain the same as they are now

Today’s poll: New York has commenced indoor dining in every part of the state except NYC, and New Jersey is scheduled to resume on Friday at 25 percent capacity. This has prompted a group of more than 300 restaurants in NYC to sue the city and state, claiming there’s no basis for the city to be singled out. Should NYC allow indoor dining? Would you go?

*|SURVEY: Yes, and I would go|*
*|SURVEY: Yes, but I wouldn't go|*
*|SURVEY: No, they should remain outdoors only|*

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

What You Need to Know

Reopening Schools:

Students in NYC were slated to return to the classroom in nine days, but Mayor de Blasio announced today that the first day of school will be delayed another eleven days, until Sept. 21. (NY1)
The last-minute change follows weeks of disagreement between city officials, teachers groups, and parents about what safety measures should be in place before schools reopen. (Gothamist) The new timeline quells some of that concern by giving teachers and staff more time to prepare for the school year, though it leaves blended learning parents without childcare plans for two additional, unexpected weeks.
Here’s the new timeline:
- Following Labor Day, on Sept. 8, teachers and staff will return to work and begin blended learning training.
- On Sept. 16, schools will begin a three-day “transition period” for all students, akin to orientation days, to remotely check in with their teachers to prepare for the school year, but no instruction will begin during that time.
- On Sept. 21, school buildings reopen to students, and all students begin instruction, both online and in person.
The updated plans include the approval of more than 200 outdoor learning spaces and will make monthly testing available to all students and teachers. (CBS News)
The changes come as more NYC families are choosing not to send their children back to school buildings, with 366,553 of the city’s 1.1 million public school students opting for remote-only learning. (amNewYork)

What to Know: Reopening:

Gyms in NYC will begin reopening tomorrow, but at 33 percent capacity and with mandatory face masks and health screenings, among other measures. Indoor fitness classes are still prohibited. (Staten Island Advance) The city’s health department will conduct “virtual inspections” to ensure they are following new safety guidelines. (New York Daily News)
American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta all announced they were permanently removing change fees on domestic flights in an effort to boost air travel back to pre-pandemic levels. (Wall Street Journal)