Tech:NYC Digest: May 4

Tech:NYC Digest: May 4

May 04, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Tuesday, May 4, 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: Biden ups Fourth of July vaccination target to 70 percent of adults; FDA to authorize Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds next week; no more snow days for NYC public students, DOE to replace with remote learning days; Goldman Sachs announces June 14 office return for US staff.By the Numbers:

  • New York State: 2,043,441 (+2,173)

  • New York City: 917,944 (+832)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 42,129 (+39)

  • NYC Positivity Rates: 

    • NYS reports: 1.7 percent (no change)

    • NYC reports: 2.7 percent (-0.1 percent)

  • Vaccine Progress:

    • NYS first doses administered: 9,356,263 (+48,608)

    • NYC first doses administered: 3,661,468 (+17,374)

General Updates:

  • President Biden unveiled a new vaccination target today. By July 4th, the White House aims to have vaccinated 70 percent of adult Americans with at least one dose, with 160 million of them fully vaccinated. Currently, about 40 percent of adult Americans are fully vaccinated. (Washington Post)

  • The FDA is expected to authorize the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds starting early next week. (New York Times) Pfizer also plans to file for emergency use authorization for children aged two to 11 in September. A study for children aged six months to 11 years old is ongoing. (CNN)

  • The next push for vaccination efforts will focus on employers, houses of worship, community organizations, and home-based delivery. With easier accessibility, more creative approaches, and the backing of trusted organizations, the hope is people will continue to be vaccinated even as demand starts to dip. (Axios)

  • Future COVID-19 vaccines could come as a pill or nasal spray and would be easier to store and transport. Most of the vaccines in clinical testing are injected, but two are swallowable pills and seven are nasal sprays. If authorized for use, these vaccines could more easily accommodate vaccination efforts in rural areas. (Wall Street Journal)

  • Good news for our friends in NJ: Gov. Murphy announced yesterday the “Shot and a Beer” program, through which any New Jerseyan who gets a shot in May also gets a free beer. Cheers! (Twitter)

  • And bad news for NYC public school students: the city’s Department of Education announced today it plans to forego snow days next year and instead replace them with remote learning days. (ABC New York)

Shout out: to Tech:NYC’s own Deputy Director Ryan Naples for being named the Alumni of the Month at Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law. In addition to working tirelessly for Tech:NYC, Ryan is an adjunct professor at Pace Law. Read his interview here.

The latest results: Gov. Cuomo surprised many today with his ambitious May 19th timeline to lift all capacity restrictions for most settings, including indoor dining. It’s far ahead of Mayor de Blasio’s July 1st return date, but the governor cited encouraging case positivity and vaccine trends. Already, indoor dining was set to expand to 75 percent capacity on May 7th. Have you patronized a restaurant in the last month?       

Today's poll

: Yesterday, Gov. Cuomo announced starting

, capacity restrictions for offices, among other settings, will be lifted. The city is

to in-person work this week, but so far many in the

until late summer or fall to return, if at all. Does the governor’s announcement change your plans for going back to the office?

  • *|SURVEY: Yes, I will return to the office sooner than expected|*

  • *|SURVEY: No, I will not return to the office sooner than expected|*

  • *|SURVEY: I’ve already returned to the office|*

  • *|SURVEY: I will not be returning to the office at all|*

  • In addition to its snow day announcement, the Dept. of Education also announced that it hopes to have all students in-person full-time starting Sept. 13th. Two “non-attendance” days were also added to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 11th and Juneteenth on June 20th. (PIX 11)

  • Around 80,000 municipal workers returned to work Monday. Some were excited to go back to the office, while others, concerned about safety, are pushing back against the demands to return to in-person work. (ABC New York) About 180,000 city employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19, but vaccination is not mandatory for workers to return to the office due to legal concerns. (Commercial Observer)

  • With the legal sale of marijuana about a year away, the state is ramping up for what could be a $4.2 billion industry. However, many landlords won’t lease to cannabis companies, and zoning regulations can make it difficult to find available real estate. Some estimate 700 to 900 dispensaries in the state, and four million square feet devoted to cultivation. (New York Times)

  • Lawmakers voted to extend the eviction moratorium through Aug. 31st. Under the law, tenants cannot be evicted if they show financial or health hardship due to the pandemic. The order goes into effect once Gov. Cuomo signs it into law. (Spectrum News)

Related reading:

  • New York Region to Accelerate Reopening, Raising Hopes and Anxiety (New York Times)

  • NYC’s Recovery Depends on a Mayor Who Can Revive Jobs, Tourism (Washington Post)

  • The coronavirus vaccine skeptics who changed their minds (Washington Post)

  • Experts: CDC’s Summer-Camp Rules Are ‘Cruel’ and ‘Irrational’ (New York Magazine)

Working:

  • More financial firms are set to head back to the office:

    • The New York Stock Exchange is opening up further for vaccinated traders. Starting May 10th, companies who work on the NYSE floor will be able to allow more staff back in the office if employees can prove they’re fully vaccinated. (CNBC)

    • Goldman Sachs is preparing to send its workers back to the office by June 14th in the US and June 21st in the UK, while the Vanguard Group is planning a hybrid model for most of its staff. The two companies are counting on an expanded vaccination drive to quicken the return of pre-pandemic routines. (Bloomberg)

  • A recent survey found nearly 80 percent of bank executives would prefer their employees return to the office four or five days per week post-pandemic. However, many employees want to keep the flexibility of working remotely. Workers feel there’s no need to return to the office after proving they can be productive while WFH. (Bloomberg)

Related reading:

  • How to Check If Your Boss’s Return-to-Office Plan Is Any Good (The Atlantic)

  • Tech Jobs in the City are Growing; Here's How to Make Sure New Yorkers Can Fill Them (Gotham Gazette)

  • Employees Won’t Decide When to Return to Office (Bloomberg)

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.Events:

  • May 6: Virtual: A Conversation with Facebook Oversight Board members John Samples and Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Hosted by Axios. (Details)

  • May 11: Virtual: Taste of Greenwich House, in support of local restaurants with appearances by NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Matthew Broderick, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Urie, and more. (Details)

  • May 13: Virtual: Making Workforce Training an Engine of New York State’s Economic Recovery, with Lt. Gov Kathy Hochul, The Knowledge House CEO Jerelyn Rodriguez, and more. Hosted by the Center for an Urban Future and NYATEP. (Details)

  • May 18: Virtual: Digital New York Summit, with Tech:NYC founder and executive director Julie Samuels, Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Internet and Technology Committee Chair Assembly Member Clyde Vanel, and more. Hosted by City & State. (Details)

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

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