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Tech:NYC Digest: March 1

Tech:NYC Digest: March 1

March 01, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Monday, March 1, 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: 725,155 cases later: one year since COVID confirmed in NYC; novel variant confirmed to originate in Washington Heights, estimated to be 27 percent of new cases citywide; with another mostly WFH year ahead, tech companies grapple with how to support employees fairly — childcare, geo-based salaries, and unexpected WFH taxes are top of mind.

By the Numbers:

New York State: 1,636,680 (+6,235)
New York City: 715,002 (+3,503)
Statewide Fatalities: 38,577 (+80)
NYC Positivity Rates:
- NYS reports: 3.9 percent
- NYC reports: 6.1 percent
Vaccine Progress:
- NYS first doses administered: 2,954,858
- NYC first doses administered: 1,076,637

General Updates:

Today marks one year since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced in New York. According to the city’s data, the official count today now stands at 725,155 confirmed cases in the city — not to mention those never officially diagnosed — but healthcare workers are hopeful that the warmer weather will converge with a much larger percentage of the city vaccinated. (NY1)
There is reason to be optimistic: the state has now administered more than four million doses of the vaccine and hospitalizations are at their lowest levels since December. At the end of last week, a record 179,038 doses were administered in a single day alone. (NY State of Politics)
Add to that, the FDA on Saturday granted emergency use authorization to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, beginning the rollout of millions of doses of a third vaccine this week. (New York Times)
- The overall efficacy rate of the one-dose J&J vaccine was lower than the other approved vaccines, at 66 percent overall (72 percent in the US). But in many ways, that’s looking at the wrong number. While it’s been shown to be effective, especially at reducing serious illness, some health officials are worried people will see it as an inferior choice and decline to get it if available. (Vox)
Dr. Fauci said today that federal public health officials are closely monitoring the new variant strain of the coronavirus that originated in NYC. While there are still several unknown, he said the strain likely originated in the Washington Heights neighborhood in upper Manhattan and now accounts for about 27 percent of the city’s new cases. (NBC New York)
NYC is also investing in a rapid COVID-19 antigen test that was initially used to reopen Columbia University’s campus as a citywide tool to help speed up reopening. (Wall Street Journal) Pending FDA approval, the hope is the investment will make the tests available directly to the city without having to pass through federal or state channels.
And lastly, if you’re helping an eligible loved one try to snag a vaccine appointment (especially seniors or others without reliable broadband access), here’s some tech tips, like how to set up alerts and browser tools, to make the process easier.

One read worth your time: Reflecting on a year of COVID-19, an ER doctor in NYC wrote a letter to himself on what he wishes he knew on this day one year ago. (Elemental)

The latest results: This warmer weather has us thinking about something totally lost during the pandemic: a real vacation. 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. When do you expect to be able to travel again?

Today's poll

: New studies have discovered

a novel mutant strain

of the coronavirus originating in NYC. And while there are still several unknowns, federal public health officials

are raising concerns

about its transmissibility and whether or not it’s susceptible to current vaccines. Does the discovery of new strains in NYC change your expectations about when the city will be able to fully reopen?

*|SURVEY: I think it will delay the city’s reopening plans|*
*|SURVEY: I think it will speed up the city’s reopening plans |*
*|SURVEY: I don’t think it will impact the city’s reopening plans|*

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

NYC’s Vaccine Finder site now lists whether there are first dose appointments available at Duane Reade locations. The mass vaccination sites at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn and York College in Queens are also now open to all eligible residents of their respective boroughs, no longer just certain zip codes. (Gothamist) See availability here.
Hotel workers, as well as previously excluded food workers who work in food banks, home meal delivery, and soup kitchens are now eligible to receive the vaccine. (NY1)
With supply shipments catching back up from the winter weather backlogs, Citi Field is doubling its staff and will resume administering about 1,500 doses per day. (Queens Daily Eagle) The site is currently open to Queens residents.
Reports charging Gov. Cuomo of sexual harassment escalated after a second former aide came forward with accusations. (New York Times) The governor released a statement yesterday responding to the accusations, saying his office would cooperate with an independent investigation. (AP)
- After some back and forth about where jurisdiction would lie, Gov. Cuomo has agreed to demands by Attorney General Letitia James that it be led solely and independently by her office. (CNN) The investigation’s findings will be disclosed in a public report, but no timeline for when to expect that has been confirmed.
- The investigation comes just as budget season is heating up in Albany. The State Legislature is expected to introduce bills next week responding to the governor’s budget proposal, ahead of the April 1st deadline for a final budget. It’s unclear how, and if, the investigation could impact that process.
Mayor de Blasio announced that the city will unpause $17 billion in capital spending projects that were put on hold due to the pandemic, including school and park upgrades, affordable housing construction, and coastal resiliency projects. (Bloomberg)
And here’s an interesting idea: let’s allow restaurants to operate at capacity for ‘immunity nights’ to help keep businesses alive. (Washington Post)