Tech:NYC Digest: April 23

Tech:NYC Digest: April 23

April 23, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Friday, April 23, 2021As the vaccination rollout progresses and NYC continues to respond to the pandemic, this digest focuses on the resources that help you make decisions about your businesses and your lives as New Yorkers.Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

The latest: 50 percent of NYC adults have received at least one dose; Pfizer and Moderna vaccines confirmed effective against NYC variant; New Yorkers ages 16+ can walk into any city-run vaccine site for a shot, no appointment needed; everything you need to prep for Oscars weekend.By the Numbers:

  • New York State: 2,007,413 (+4,901)

  • New York City: 902,467 (+2,131)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 41,723 (+45)

  • NYC Positivity Rates: 

    • NYS reports: 2.6 percent (-0.2 percent)

    • NYC reports: 4.5 percent (no change)

  • Vaccine Progress:

    • NYS first doses administered: 8,659,043 (+84,198)

    • NYC first doses administered: 3,315,616 (+26,600)

General Updates:

  • As of today, 50 percent of NYC residents have now received their first dose of the vaccine. (Patch NYC) That’s great news, but that also means we’re entering a phase of the rollout where we’ll need to rethink the distribution strategy to keep the vaccination rate moving upward:

    • In New York, less scheduling rules and more walk-in visits will become the norm at city sites. (POLITICO) Because, “let’s face it: New Yorkers will do things if it’s easy,” said Mayor de Blasio.

    • The state is doing more targeted outreach, including a new campaign launched today to help grocery, bodega, and food service workers get the vaccine. (amNY)

    • Other parts of the country are addressing the same issues, where mass vaccination sites are being closed down due to slow demand. In some places, officials are considering rerouting supply to more private doctors, where those still reluctant to get it may be more comfortable with their own familiar provider. (New York Times)

  • While New York (and many other states) continues efforts to rein in steadily high case counts, the welcome news is that results from two studies show the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are effective against the NYC variant strain. (New York Times)

    • The takeaway: it’s just more proof the best way to end the pandemic is for more people to get the shot.

  • Government officials and drugmakers alike are now thinking down the road on the future of the vaccine — second- and third-generation vaccines typically become the dominant product, but incentivizing biotech companies to make those versions as quickly as the first will be much harder. (Axios)

    • The type of cash infusion Operation Warp Speed provided won’t be available all the time, if ever again, but the development of booster shots and other tweaks that respond to variant strains could keep the pipeline moving.

  • If you’re like us, you totally missed that it’s Oscars weekend! But, of course, it’ll look a lot different: NYC-based architect David Rockwell created a safe, socially distanced set that will pay homage to the formal dinner affairs of the early Academy Awards days. Take a look at the design, fill out your Oscars ballot, review expert predictions, and get all the other details for Sunday’s ceremony here.

The latest results: With so many people working from home this last year, emissions from passenger vehicles dropped significantly. Deliveries also shot up and many cities reported massive increases in garbage pickups. There’s also a concern about how the Internet and other energy heavy tech impacts climate. Do you think teleworking is a net positive or a net negative for the environment?    

Today's poll

: The Oscars are upon us, which may feel odd in a year with no theaters and so many

. However, studios adapted to bring some movies direct to consumers, and the streaming services have continued to put out a wealth of binge-worthy content. How have your viewing habits of this year's new releases changed during the pandemic?

 

 

 

  • *|SURVEY: I’ve watched more new movies|*

  • *|SURVEY: I’ve watched the same number of new movies |*

  • *|SURVEY: I’ve watched fewer new movies|*

  • *|SURVEY: I’ve watched no new movies|*

  • Beginning today, any NYC resident (age 16 years of older) can walk in and get the vaccine at all city-run sites, no appointment necessary. ZIP code restrictions were also lifted, so any resident can go to any site in the five boroughs. (New York Times) The full list of sites is here.

    • At state-run sites (which include the Javits Center, Yankee Stadium, Medgar Evers College, York College, and the Aqueduct Racetrack), walk-ins are limited to those age 60 and older. Find those sites here.

  • With the warmer weather officially here, NYC is preparing a number of new and expanded outdoor spaces for New Yorkers to get outside. Among them: new parks at Pier 76 and “Little Island” at Pier 55, an ongoing Open Streets program, and of course, all the classics: public pools and Coney Island. (THE CITY)

  • Another study found that people diagnosed with severe cases of COVID-19 have a higher risk of long-term effects, including increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, mental health disorders, and other health problems. Researchers are still trying to figure out which of the debilitating effects are directly due to the virus and which are indirect, but related, complications. (Bloomberg)

  • The list of institutions making proof of vaccination mandatory is growing to include more office buildings, universities, art and cultural institutions, and … Burning Man. (AP)

Related reading:

  • Do We Still Need to Keep Wearing Masks Outdoors? Follow the 2-out-of-3 Rule. (New York Times)

  • The Pandemic Shrank Our Social Circles. Let’s Keep It That Way. (New York Times)

  • A Tribute to 11 NYC Sandwiches That Are Getting Us Through the Pandemic (Eater NY)

Working:

  • Legally, employers can mandate their workers get vaccinated, but many in New York are approaching mandates with caution. (Crain’s New York)

    • Instead, some simply are providing information on the benefits of the vaccine, and others are even offering incentives like gift cards and personal time off. 

    • By and large, employers are also considering mandates only for employees who want to work in the office, leaving remote workers to decide themselves.

  • As tech companies make more decisions for their post-vaccine workplaces, their employees — especially those that embraced the “tech nomad” lifestyle in the last year — have their own decisions to make. The strategies companies prefer run the gamut, and executives are prioritizing policies that will retain a level of company culture, even with employees who will be allowed to work remote permanently away from HQ. One resulting impact: more business travel on short trips to company hubs. (Protocol)

Related reading:

  • Your employer can ask whether you’ve received the coronavirus vaccine — and even require it (Washington Post) 

  • Seizing the moment: a framework for American innovation (Google)

Request: please let us know as your return-to-office policies are developed and what considerations your companies are taking for developing them. Sharing this information is helpful to companies and employees across the NYC ecosystem and can be kept anonymous.

Recruit: A tech talent and job opportunities board from Tech:NYC and AlleyCorp compiles NYC tech workers looking for new roles and NYC-based tech companies hiring open positions. To contribute to the board, click here.

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

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