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Tech:NYC Digest: February 25

Tech:NYC Digest: February 25

February 25, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Thursday, February 25, 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: Novel variant circulating in New York City, possibly more vaccine resistant; CDC working to expand national online vaccine portal; 62,000 NYC middle school students returned to school today; Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs leaders reaffirmed hope to return employees to offices ASAP.

By the Numbers:

New York State: 1,606,520 (+8,746)
New York City: 698,751 (+4,313)
Statewide Fatalities: 38,227 (+89)
NYC Positivity Rates:
- NYS reports: 4.4 percent (+0.1 percent)
- NYC reports: 7.1 percent (-0.1 percent)
Vaccine Progress:
- NYS first doses administered: 2,562,274 (+45,271)
- NYC first doses administered: 933,377 (+21,535)

General Updates:

Two teams of researchers, including one at Columbia University, have found a completely new strain of the coronavirus in NYC, carrying a mutation that may weaken the effectiveness of vaccines. (New York Times)
- The new variant, called B.1.526, first appeared in samples collected in the city in November. By the middle of this month, it accounted for about one in four viral sequences appearing in a database shared by scientists. Here’s a useful thread about it.
The CDC is backing a new test of a centralized online portal where the public can search for nearby vaccination sites with doses on hand. VaccineFinder is currently operating in just a handful of states, including New York, and if the program goes well, it will expand nationwide in the coming weeks. (New York Times)
- One thing to note: it will not enable people to book appointments; it simply directs people to other portals where they can try to register to get vaccinated. Still, a centralized search function could make the process much easier.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker appeared before state lawmakers today for a hearing on how the state has handled nursing home residents during the pandemic. (CNN) He maintained that the spread of COVID in nursing homes was primarily the fault of staff and not the March 25 directive. (NY1)
February is usually peak flu season, but thanks to all the measures put in place because of coronavirus, it has virtually disappeared in the US. (AP)
And lastly, three cheers to this: NYC is no longer an "anarchist jurisdiction."

One read we love: The joy of vax: the people giving the shots are seeing hope, and it’s contagious (Washington Post)

The latest results: The network of websites to schedule a vaccine appointment in New York have proven challenging to navigate. The rush of demand when eligibility expands and other accessibility issues means many have needed help with the tools. Naturally, they turn to family and friends. Have you helped someone register to get a vaccine?

Today's poll

: This warmer weather has us thinking about something totally lost during the pandemic: a real vacation. Many in the 65+ crowd are

getting their shots and booking hotels

basically the next day. Those in the travel and hospitality industry say there’s

pent up demand

, but whenever it gets realized depends entirely on the pace of vaccines for the general population (hence why Airbnb introduced “

Flexible Search

” for bookings). When do you expect to be able to travel again?

*|SURVEY: Spring|*
*|SURVEY: Summer|*
*|SURVEY: Fall/winter|*
*|SURVEY: In 2022|*
*|SURVEY: I'm already traveling again|*

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

Emboldened by encouraging vaccine news, people are making plans to indulge in all the activities they have desperately missed. (Axios) Retail trade groups are saying that sales could jump by as much as 8.2 percent this year — its highest estimate on record. Travel experts are expecting a floodgate of gains beginning the summer, as well.
About 62,000 NYC middle school students returned to some in-person instruction today. (Wall Street Journal) About half of the city’s 470 middle schools will be open for most or all their students five days a week.
The LIRR is further scaling back service as ridership continues to remain at low levels. (Newsday) Beginning March 8, weekday service will now essentially look like weekend service, with train intervals reduced to an hour or 90 minutes on many branches.
Weddings and other parties at event venues can resume beginning March 15, but yes, there’s even official guidance on what you can and can’t do on the dance floor at the events. (Syracuse Post-Standard) Mainly: stay in your own dance zone.