Tech:NYC Digest: October 23

Tech:NYC Digest: October 23

October 23, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Friday, October 23, 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: FDA approves remdesivir as first official COVID-19 treatment; NYC virtual school had rocky start with one in four students not joining for first two days of class in Sept.; Microsoft pushes WFH policy through July 6, 2021; New York’s early voting starts tomorrow, so if you haven’t already, make a plan to vote!

Confirmed Cases:

  • New York State: 491,771 (+1,637)

  • New York City: 257,147 (+571)  

  • Statewide Fatalities: 25,705 (+11)

  • Daily NYC Infection Rate: 1.0 percent (-0.1 percent)

General Updates:

  • The US set a new record of daily coronavirus cases yesterday at more than 77,000, topping the previous record set in July. (NBC News)

  • The FDA formally approved the antiviral drug, remdesivir, as a treatment for COVID-19, making it the first official treatment for the disease. (CNBC) But when it comes to a vaccine: experts say we still need more data. (New York Times)

  • At least 47.5 million voters have already cast their ballots in the 2020 election. (NY1) With about 33.5 million of those being mail-in ballots, it represents more than a third of all votes cast in 2016.

  • And here’s how to join them: for the first time during a presidential election, early voting begins in NYC tomorrow. (Gothamist) Early voting sites are open every day through Nov. 1. If you’d like to vote early in-person, confirm your poll site here and check these FAQs for answers to common questions.

One event worth your time: Join us on Tuesday for the latest installment of our Functions.NYC series, a discussion on what’s next for transit with Transportation Alternatives executive director Danny Harris and Citi Bike general manager Laura Fox. RSVP here and we’ll send you the Zoom details.

The latest results: As NYC continues to grapple with the pandemic, a new Spectrum News-Ispos poll found that a majority of city residents — 64 percent — see a future for themselves in NYC. So we wanted to pose the same question: do you see a future for yourself in NYC?

(Editor’s note: asked the same question, our community polled significantly higher than the general NYC population on confidence in having a future in the city. Not surprising, but we were glad to see it!.) Today’s poll: Since our colleagues pretty much only ever see us in a video window, the rules of office dress code have changed. While we may be paying even more attention to what we wear on top, the choice for what’s on the bottom may be less traditionally professional and instead more...elastic. Have you upped your athleisure, lounge, or sweatpants wardrobe since the start of the pandemic?

  • *|SURVEY: Yes, I have more comfy pants now|*

  • *|SURVEY: No, I have not invested in more/any comfy pants|*

  • *|SURVEY: I was wearing comfy pants before it was cool!|*

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

Reopening:

  • The average rent in Manhattan has dropped below $3,000 for the first time in nearly a decade. (ABC New York) Rental availability in the borough also increased by nearly 70 percent, with more than 72,000 available listings — nearly 30,000 more than in 2019.

  • New Dept. of Education data shows that one in four NYC students didn’t log in during the first two days of remote learning in September. (New York Daily News) But that’s about all we know — the city still hasn’t publicly released any school attendance data since they reopened on Sept. 21.

  • One voting detail: polling sites will remain open even in hotspot “red zones” during the early voting period and on Election Day, as Gov. Cuomo has classified voting as an essential activity. (New York Post)

  • And if you’re still taking strict measures like quarantining your mail and wiping down your groceries, you can stop doing that. (Washington Post) Scientists have come to a consensus that coronavirus very rarely is transmitted through contact on surfaces, and instead, you should focus on more effective protections, like wearing a mask and washing your hands.

Related reading:

  • The Coronavirus Surge That Will Define the Next Four Years (The Atlantic)

  • With Rents Dropping in Big Cities, Here’s 8 Useful Strategies for Renegotiating Rent (Bloomberg)

Working:

  • Microsoft has extended its WFH guidance to July 6, 2021. (Business Insider) The company had previously earmarked January 2021.

  • Here’s a handy guide on digital hygiene in the Zoom era. (New York Times) Or if we were writing the headline: how to avoid embarrassing things happening while you’re on work video calls.

Related reading:

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:

  • October 27: Virtual: Functions.NYC: What’s Next for Transportation in NYC, with Transportation Alternatives executive director Danny Harris and Citi Bike general manager Laura Fox. Hosted by Tech:NYC. (Details)

  • October 28: Virtual: Ask Me Anything Live, with Imagine it Forward author and former GE Vice Chair Beth Comstock. Hosted by Betaworks Studios. (Details)

  • October 28: Virtual: Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg: In Conversation with Inspired Capital managing partner Alexa von Tobel. 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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