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Tech:NYC Digest: May 17

Tech:NYC Digest: May 17

May 17, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Monday, May 17, 2021As the vaccination rollout progresses and NYC moves forward with reopening plans, 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: NY to drop mask mandate for fully vaxxed on Wednesday; MTA resumes 24-hour subway service starting today; New York City Marathon and Tribeca Film Festival both returning this year; with new CDC guidance, companies ponder moving return-to-office dates up.By the Numbers:

New York State: 2,070,413 (+1,278)
New York City: 928,429 (+480)
Statewide Fatalities: 42,486 (+11)
NYC Positivity Rates:
- NYS reports: 0.9 percent (-0.1 percent)
- NYC reports: 1.5 percent (-0.1 percent)
Vaccine Progress:
- NYS first doses administered: 9,973,197 (+32,322)
- NYC first doses administered: 3,922,475

General Updates:

After taking some time to review the CDC guidance released last week that says fully vaccinated people can shed their masks in most indoor and outdoor settings, New York will approve and adopt it. (NBC New York)
- Starting Wednesday, May 19th, fully vaccinated New Yorkers will not need to wear masks or practice social distancing protocols in most places.
- Healthcare facilities, nursing homes, planes and airports, and public transportation will still require masks, even for vaccinated people. Individual private venues may also impose additional requirements.
- New Yorkers who are unvaccinated, have only received one dose of the vaccine, or who are immunocompromised should continue to wear a mask and social distance.
Of course, there are still lots of questions about how the new rules will be implemented or enforced — that’s why some New Yorkers are opting to keep the masks on for the foreseeable future, well beyond getting their vaccine. (New York Times)
- As many have pointed out, the guidance largely relies on the honor system. Do we truly trust each other enough that the people who should still be wearing masks are doing so? (Washington Post)
In any case, that masking is no longer required everywhere doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. Experts say they'll be more ready to mark the end of the pandemic when at least 70 percent of the country is vaccinated, and that’s going to require more children getting the shot. (New York Times)
- Even then, COVID won’t completely disappear: experts say in about five years, the presence of COVID-19 will be like the presence of the flu.
And lastly, if you’re experiencing a hodgepodge of side effects after getting the vaccine, that means it’s working. (Wall Street Journal)

One thing we couldn’t not share: Dr. Fauci and the CDC Players (read: Kate McKinnon and the cast of SNL) present ‘No More Masks,’ a short play of scenarios you might find yourself in during the next few weeks of transitional mask usage.

The latest results: New York has yet to update its mask rules based on the latest CDC guidance. However, fully vaccinated people in the state already don’t need masks outside and many pandemic restrictions on businesses and gatherings are set to lift next week. If New York follows suit with the latest CDC guidance, how will it affect your behavior?

Today's poll

: As of today, the MTA has

resumed 24-hour subway service

, and the agency said it will continue daily cleanings of trains and platforms. Average ridership has continued to rise, with about two million people taking public transit in the city each day, but that’s still a far cry from the five million daily riders before the pandemic. How often are you now taking the subway?

(This is a recurring question, responses help Tech:NYC track trends over time.)

*|SURVEY: Daily|*
*|SURVEY: One or more times weekly|*
*|SURVEY: One or more times monthly|*
*|SURVEY: Sporadically|*
*|SURVEY: I haven't returned to the subway|*

In coordination with New Jersey and Connecticut, New York is preparing for its most significant reopening steps to date. (NBC New York) On Wednesday:
- Virtually all capacity restrictions will be lifted for restaurants, museums, retail stores, and offices;
- Outdoor food and beverage curfews will be lifted (indoor curfews lift on May 31st); and
- Residential and commercial indoor gathering limits will be significantly increased.
And as of today, the MTA has resumed 24-hour subway service. After a year of halted service for overnight cleanings, average ridership is now back up to more than two million passengers per day. (Gothamist)
- The MTA is also extending its pop-up vaccination program after a successful pilot week. The walk-up sites will be available at several major subway stops at least through May 22nd. (PIX 11)
Mayor de Blasio has ensured the families of public school students that anyone who wants to return to in-person instruction full-time in the fall will be able to do so. Logistically, however, it will be challenging. (New York Times)
- The Dept. of Education and other city officials are going to have to convince the 600,000 families that have continued to opt for fully remote learning it’s safe and convenient to come back.
- Some teachers and staff won’t be keen to return to full classrooms either, but they’ll be required to apply for medical waivers to continue working from home. That leaves some uncertainty on whether schools will have the necessary staffing levels to fully reopen in September.
- In any case, unvaccinated students, including those in elementary grades, will likely be required to wear masks at school. (CNN)
The Tribeca Film Festival will return this June, making it the first in-person film festival to take place in North America since the pandemic began. In addition to its regular programming, free community screenings will be hosted through a Borough to Borough program, all of which will culminate in the festival’s Closing Night on June 19th at Radio City Music Hall — an event that will be at 100 percent capacity with all-vaccinated guests wearing no masks. (CBS New York)
Also returning is the New York City Marathon, which will take place in November. 33,000 runners — about 60 percent of its normal capacity — will be permitted to participate. Registration opens June 8th. (ESPN)