Tech:NYC Digest: March 26

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Friday, March 26, 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: a growing list of states open vaccine to all; NY launches Excelsior Pass, the state’s app to prove recent test results or vaccine status; the 2021 cycle of Open Streets is getting started; Google takes a day off, other companies, too, prioritizing burnout mitigation.

By the Numbers:

• New York State: 1,818,344 (+8,507)

• New York City: 811,866 (+4,393)  

• Statewide Fatalities: 40,190 (+49)

• NYC Positivity Rates:

  • NYS reports: 4.2 percent (no change)

  • NYC reports: 5.7 percent (-0.5 percent)

• Vaccine Progress:

  • NYS first doses administered: 5,627,603 (+131,528)

  • NYC first doses administered: 1,993,353

General Updates:

• More than 500 million vaccine doses have now been administered across the world. (Bloomberg) The US is administering about 2.5 million shots per day, all but ensuring the country will meet the White House’s goal of 200 million doses by Pres. Biden’s 100th day in office, a number already double the original target. (Washington Post)

  • About 30 percent of adults in NYC have been vaccinated, and about half of city residents age 65 and older have received at least one dose. Explore this interactive to see how the vaccine rollout is going in your part of the city.

  • NYC is also at the start of a new surge in vaccine supply — right now, there are thousands of open appointments for the first week of April at the Javits Center and at Walgreens locations in the city. If you’re eligible and still haven’t booked a slot, grab one here or here. Or better yet, explore all availability in one place with the TurboVax tool.

• At least 21 states have now committed to opening up eligibility to all adults by mid-April. (New York Magazine) Connecticut and Rhode Island are the only two in the Northeast a part of that list so far, which will open eligibility to all on April 1st and April 19th, respectively. (Connecticut Post) New Jersey will open eligibility to those age 55 and older beginning April 5th. (Bloomberg)

• As businesses and venues begin to welcome back more patrons, today New York launched Excelsior Pass, a free platform for individuals to easily access and display proof of a recent negative COVID test or vaccination. Get your pass here.

  • You can store your pass on your phone via the Wallet app, or you print your pass from the Excelsior Pass website directly.

  • Participation in the Excelsior Pass is voluntary, and New Yorkers can show alternate forms of documentation to verify health status, e.g.: another app or paper form.

The latest results: Roughly 25 percent of the US total population has received one or both doses of the vaccine, a number that is expected to accelerate across the country in the next two months — right in time for Memorial Day, the date that traditionally kicks off the summer vacation season. When do you expect to travel for your next vacation?

Today's poll

: For the second time during the pandemic, Google gave its global staff the day off today to support mental health and prevent burnout. With trends showing people are working more hours while working from home, other companies are also trying to encourage employees to take time off. Have you taken any time off work in 2021?

• *|SURVEY: Yes, one day|*

• *|SURVEY: Yes, more than a day but less than a week|*

• *|SURVEY: Yes, a week or more|*

• *|SURVEY: No, I have not taken any time off|*

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

• NYC is opening applications for the 2021 cycle of the city’s Open Streets program, a pandemic-born program that was made permanent last September. (Eater NY) The program blocks off designated streets to car traffic and turns them over to be used for outdoor dining, pedestrian and cycling space, and other activities. Both new and returning program participants must apply to be included in 2021.

• The Gateway rail tunnel project between NYC and New Jersey is being prioritized in the White House’s infrastructure plans, citing its “national significance” in the economy. (Bloomberg)

• Colleges and universities are gearing up to welcome students back to campus for the next academic year. Harvard is planning for a full, in-person return to campus in the fall. (Harvard Crimson) Rutgers is, too, though it said it would require all students to be vaccinated to come back to campus. (New York Times)

• Even though the Met Museum is still operating at reduced capacity and operating hours — and thus a smaller budget — it is moving forward with a slate of several new exhibitions to welcome the spring season. (Gothamist) Usually a must-stop for tourists, the museum reports that 90 percent of its patrons over the past year have been from the metro area.

Related reading:

• A Vaccine Passport is the New Golden Ticket as the World Reopens (Bloomberg)

• Mutual Aid Groups Are Now Booking Vaccine Appointments Too (Curbed)

• What Has the Pandemic Done To Our Personal Boundaries? (The Cut)

Working:

• Several studies have affirmed that people are working more hours each day during the pandemic. A study from last fall found that the 60 million fewer hours Americans spend commuting is mostly being spent on additional work, and now some companies are mandating rest to combat burnout. (Wall Street Journal) 

  • Google is taking a companywide day off today.

  • German software maker SAP SE is taking one April 27th.

  • Citi scheduled a “Citi Reset Day” for May 28th and banned internal meetings on Friday.

  • Goldman Sachs is enforcing the “Saturday rule” to prevent work from 9pm Friday to 9am Sunday.

  • Is your company doing something creative to combat burnout? Tell us here.

• Uber is reopening its San Francisco office beginning Monday, the first major company to do so after the city lifted its in-person work ban. (San Francisco Chronicle)

• Facebook also announced updated reopening plans and will welcome workers back to its headquarters and other Bay Area locations — at 10 percent capacity to start — beginning May 10th. (CNBC)

Related reading:

• Workers look to their bosses for mental health support. Many aren’t getting it (Los Angeles Times)

• It's Time For Companies To Focus On Helping Employees With Their Mental Health And Well-Being (Forbes)

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:

• New York State Department of Health

• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

• Centers for Disease Control

• World Health Organization

• Sign up for Gov. Cuomo’s nightly updates

• Download COVID Alert NY, New York's contact tracing app

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