Tech:NYC Digest: November 20

Tech:NYC Digest: November 20

November 20, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Friday, November 20, 2020As NYC’s reopening and recovery efforts continue, the 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: Pfizer files for emergency use authorization with the FDA; local officials support CDC in advising against Thanksgiving gatherings or travel; 38 percent of Americans are expected to attend gatherings of more than ten, flouting guidance; recent survey indicates one third of remote workers who move may get a pay cut.

Confirmed Cases:

  • New York State: 579,382 (+5,310)

  • New York City: 288,869 (+1,847)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 26,257 (+31)

  • NYC Positivity Rates:

    • NYS reports: 2.5 percent (no change)

    • NYC reports: 3.0 percent (no change)

General Updates:

  • The number of new cases has reached a point where officials are struggling to untangle chains of transmission to make sense of how the virus is spreading. (New York Times) In numbers released yesterday, 38 zip codes in the city had a seven-day average positive test rate of more than four percent. Nine had rates above five percent.

    • New Yorkers have to keep a close eye on two sets of daily COVID-data: one from the city and the other from the state. Each uses a different methodology to calculate the positivity rate, but the resulting numbers — especially when they differ — can set off a confusing back and forth on what it means for new restrictions. Here’s a good explainer about that. (Gothamist)

  • More states are coming online with apps that notify users when they have potentially been exposed to coronavirus. (Washington Post) In some states, you can get push alerts by opting in to iOS exposure notifications via the iPhone settings. In others, like New York, there’s a dedicated app you can download to notify you of potential contacts.

  • While public schools are now closed, programs that run the city’s universal, free pre-K initiative have been asked to remain open. (Chalkbeat) The challenge is that, while the pre-K programs that operate in community-based nonprofit centers can remain open, their counterparts in education department-run buildings must shutter, raising questions of safety and equity for staffers and families.

  • Pfizer is submitting its official request for emergency use authorization from the FDA today. (CNBC) The agency’s review process is expected to take a few weeks, and an advisory committee meeting to review the vaccine is tentatively scheduled for early December. Pfizer’s goal is for some Americans to begin receiving the vaccine a month from now.

  • And as we all finalize holiday plans heading into next week — we’re all limiting (if not outright canceling) them, right? (NPR) Public health officials are imploring you to follow the one rule that really matters — don’t spend time indoors with people outside your household. (The Atlantic) But we know it’s an unusual year that leaves a lot of questions about cooking, eating, and gathering. (Bloomberg) More resources on all of that below.

Yesterday's results: The MTA’s proposed 2021 budget presented a doomsday scenario for the future of New York’s public transit. Where do you stand on public transit use?

Today's poll

: New York currently has the

in the country, but officials are concerned that could soon change — with caseloads continuing to rise statewide, there are now

. Mayor de Blasio said today that

. Do you think New York will be able to keep its rates low relative to the rest of the country in the coming weeks?

  • *|SURVEY: New York's rates will remain proportionally lower than the national average|*

  • *|SURVEY: New York’s rates will rise at the same rate as the national average|*

  • *|SURVEY: New York’s rates will surpass the national average|*

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

A Very Different Thanksgiving:

  • We’re less than a week away from Thanksgiving, and elected officials are continuing to sound the alarm about what Gov. Cuomo calls “living room spread.” A significant portion of New York’s surge in cases is coming from the spread as people move activities inside their homes amid the colder weather.

    • The state’s ban of private gatherings of more than ten people is in effect, effectively prohibiting any large holiday parties. But law enforcement officials have responded by saying compliance with the rule is practically unenforceable. (New York Times)

    • And getting a pre-Thanksgiving coronavirus test isn’t going to keep you safe. (Wired) Yes, a positive result tells you crucial information — when to cancel plans and isolate — but a negative test tells you a lot less, so the ‘everyone-has-been-tested’ excuse doesn’t pass muster.

  • Local officials, as well as the CDC, are advising people not to travel for the holiday either. (AP) 

    • That’s mostly just bad for airlines: cases are rising and trips are being called off right as airlines were banking on the holiday season boosting air travel. (Wall Street Journal)

    • One group for whom this is a particular dilemma: students. (Bloomberg) Many are leaving campus for the holiday break, and colleges and universities are concerned they could bring the virus back to campus when they return. Many are requiring that students who choose to travel home must finish the semester remotely. (AP) Others, like the SUNY system, are requiring ‘exit testing’ for any student who wants to leave campus and return after the break. (ABC New York)

    • If you absolutely must travel, here’s the CDC holiday guidance on precautions to take.

  • Despite all the warnings, a recent poll reports that 38 percent of Americans plan to have Thanksgiving dinner with ten or more people. (The Hill) 

  • Instead, try Zoomsgiving. There won’t be the usual 40-minute Zoom time limit on Thanksgiving, the company announced. (The Verge) The “no limits” clock starts at midnight ET on Nov. 26 and runs through 6am ET on Nov. 27.

  • Here’s the FAQ you need if you have cooking and meal prep questions (e.g., how big of a turkey should you buy if it’s just for you?) And here’s an FAQ on all things safety if you’re celebrating with your pod.

  • Or lean into the fact that you’re off the hook for making any real plans — here’s the case for spending the holiday alone.

Related reading:

  • How to Have a Fully Remote Family Thanksgiving (New York Times)

  • How Do I Make Thanksgiving Grocery Shopping Safer? (New York Times)

  • The Grub Street Guide to Thanksgiving Takeout (Grub Street)

  • Swapping food for Thanksgiving is the safe, smart way to have more but cook less (Washington Post)

Working:

  • A new survey of executives at 344 North American companies shows that as many as a third of remote workers who move to less expensive places to live during the pandemic could end up getting a pay cut that offsets any savings. (Bloomberg) The survey’s researchers said that companies that do reduce pay based on geographic savings will have to develop a clear process for determining whether an employee has moved to a lower-cost area, whether pay cuts will make the company less competitive, and whether there might be legal implications in areas such as pay parity.

Related reading:

  • Your Boss Wants to Know: What Are You Doing for Thanksgiving? (Wall Street Journal)

  • You Won’t Believe What Realtors Are Finding in Empty Offices Right Now (Fast Company)

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:

  • November 23: Virtual: A Conversation with Wayfair co-founder and CEO Niraj Shah. Hosted by Tech:NYC, Cornell Tech, and Bloomberg. (Details)

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

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