Some details on the first significant rollback in New York state’s Covid reopening effort were revealed yesterday afternoon during a briefing by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in Albany.
On Monday, the governor announced that new closings of school and businesses were going into effect in places where fresh clusters of the virus have appeared. Rockland and Orange counties are among the places seeing sharp increases in the number of people testing positive for the virus.
Cuomo attributed the hotspots to various recommendations and mandates being ignored. He especially cited activities by religious groups such as the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community that has a significant presence in both counties as contributing to the problem.
Spikes in Covid also have been reported in parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Binghamton. Cuomo said that on Tuesday he met with religious leaders who he characterized as understanding and cooperative toward his requests to put an end to mass gatherings that have occasionally brought 1,000 or more people together. Cuomo also wants them to observe social distancing requirements and promote the wearing of masks.
Cuomo said that there will be three major geographic zones established for each virus cluster that is identified for new restrictions.
A Red Zone will be established encompassing areas where the increased caseload is centered. In that zone:
Ӣ houses of worship will be restricted to a maximum of 10 people or 25% of normal capacity;
Ӣ mass gatherings remain prohibited;
Ӣ only essential business will be allowed to remain open;
Ӣ food service establishments will be limited to takeout only; and
Ӣ schools must be closed with only remote education allowed.
Surrounding the Red Zone is an Orange Zone where:
Ӣ houses of worship are limited to no more than 25 people with a maximum of 33% of normal capacity;
Ӣ mass gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people, regardless of whether they take place inside or outside;
Ӣ high-risk nonessential businesses such as gyms and personal care businesses such as hair salons must once again close;
Ӣ food service establishments will be allowed to have outdoor dining only with no more than four people per table; and
Ӣ schools must be closed with only remote education allowed.
A Yellow Zone will be established around the Orange Zone where:
Ӣ houses of worship are allowed to be open at 50% of normal capacity;
Ӣ mass gatherings, indoor or outdoor, can have no more than 25 people;
Ӣ all businesses can remain open to the extent permitted statewide and food service establishments can have indoor and outdoor dining with a maximum of four people per table; and
Ӣ schools can remain open but must perform weekly testing of both children and staff who come to the schools.
Cuomo said he talked with Rockland County Executive Ed Day as well as Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and they both were supportive of the moves. Cuomo said the state will be providing local governments with maps outlining the specific areas where the rollbacks need to be enforced.
The governor said that the new rules can go into effect as early as tomorrow, but no later than Friday. He said the time frame will be up to local governments. Cuomo said the rollbacks will be in effect for a minimum of 14 days.
“We can sit here all day and come up with rules,” Cuomo said. “They’re only as good as their enforcement. Lack of enforcement has contributed to this problem.”
Cuomo also made it plain that he believes President Donald Trump has contributed to the Covid problem nationwide, especially with his comments yesterday after arriving back at the White House after having been discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he was taken for treatment as a result of contracting Covid-19.
“I think he’s right now doing a public disservice. To say to the people of this country, ‘Look at me, don’t worry about Covid, look how well I’m doing.’ First of all, this is a funny disease. We hope you’re doing well but the disease still hasn’t run its course and it’s a little premature to say ‘I”m doing great,’ right? You’re not doing great until you test negative and then, by the way, there are people that test negative and have consequences that continue for weeks and months and months. This is a frightening virus,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo emphasized that the president is not analogous to the average person in this country.
“The average person gets Covid, they don’t get flown by helicopter to Walter Reed hospital and have a team of 20 doctors, millions of dollars of medical talent tend to their needs, receive experimental drugs that haven’t been available to the public and are administered just to the president under compassionate care,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo reminded Trump that Covid has so far killed more than 210,000 Americans.
“Don’t be afraid of Covid? No. Be afraid of Covid. It can kill you,” Cuomo said. “Don’t be cavalier. This is just more denial. This is where it started. We know what when Covid started he knew how bad it was going to be and he just lied about it.”
