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HOW TO REACH US
2 COURIER LIFE, MAY 7-13, 2021
Indoor dining Brooklyn
expands on May 7
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
The rapid reduction in
COVID-19 continues across
New York City, as evidenced by
the latest city Health Department
data which revealed that
just eight communities in the
fi ve boroughs exceeded a sevenday
positivity rate of 5 percent.
Citywide, the seven-day positivity
rate on April 30 stood at
2.86 percent. That’s nearly half
the rate it was just 13 days prior,
when on April 17, the city’s
Health Department cited a citywide
average of 5.06 percent.
With more than 6.5 million
doses of the COVID-19 vaccine
administered thus far, it’s apparent
that the inoculation is
making a real impact in reducing
the spread of the virus even
after earlier fears that different,
more contagious strains of
the illness would propagate another
surge in cases.
At this point, no surge appears
imminent. Communities
which as recently as mid-April
had COVID-19 positivity rates
exceeding 10 percent have seen
the rate of infection plunge by
almost half.
Highest positivity rates
The Flushing/Murray
Hill/Queensboro Hill area of
Queens (ZIP code 11354) again
has the highest 7-day COVID-19
positivity rate — but over the
last two weeks, it’s signifi -
cantly decreased. As of April
12, the rate stood at 10.69 percent,
but for the period between
April 23-29, the rate was down
to 6.18 percent.
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
New York City restaurants
can allow more patrons
to dine inside starting
next week.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo
announced on Friday that
starting May 7, indoor dining
in the city will be expanded
to 75 percent capacity.
This increase brings
the city to the same level of
capacity as the rest of New
York State.
“After a long and incredibly
diffi cult fi ght, New York
State is winning the war
against COVID-19, and that
means it’s time to loosen
some restrictions put in
place to protect the public
health and help our local
businesses,” Cuomo said.
“There’s no doubt that restaurants
have been among
the pandemic’s hardest hit
businesses, and New York
City’s thriving restaurant
industry has found it challenging
to keep staff and
maintain profi ts. We’re easing
restrictions on restaurants,
personal care services
and gyms to put more
money in the pockets of
small business owners and
working people in New York
City, which was hit so hard
by the pandemic but, I have
no doubt, will come back
stronger than ever.”
Half-capacity for gyms
and fi tness centers
In addition to expanded
indoor dining, New York
City hair salons, barbershops
and other personal
care services will expand to
75 percent capacity beginning
May 7. Starting May
15, New York City gyms and
fi tness centers will also expand
to 50 percent capacity.
All expanded capacity
changes will be subject to
state public health guidance
including social distancing
and masks.
The announcement
comes after recent measures
made to re-open the economy
further as a result of
New York’s steady decline in
COVID-19 positivity and hospitalization
rates. The food
and beverage curfew will be
lifted for outdoor dining on
May 17 and for indoor dining
areas beginning May 31.
The 1 am curfew for catered
events where attendees
have provided proof of
vaccination status or a recent
negative COVID-19 test
result will also be lifted beginning
May 17, with the
curfew for all catered events
set to be lifted May 31.
Cuomo also announced
that he will rescind the Executive
Order establishing
the micro-cluster zone strategy
in light of New York
State’s progress against the
COVID-19 pandemic. Applicable
state public health
guidance must still be followed
for all industries.
“New York City’s hospitality
industry has been
decimated by the pandemic,
and while there is still a
long road to recovery, Governor
Cuomo’s announcement
earlier this week on
easing restaurant and bar
restrictions, along with today’s
news that indoor dining
occupancy will increase
to 75 percent in the fi ve boroughs
provides a shot of optimism
to small business
owners and workers who
have been fi nancially devastated
over the past year,”
NYC Hospitality Alliance
Executive Director Andrew
Rigie said. “We look forward
to working with Governor
Cuomo’s administration
to safely reopen New York
City, so we can get the restaurant
capital of the world
cooking again.”
Borough opens up as
Residents of William Reid Apartments after receiving the COVID vaccine.
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