Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio announced about a week ago that NYC would begin reopening phases on Monday, June 8.
And now the day is finally here. The city had has previously been behind on meeting the state’s requirements in the fields of available hospital beds and number of contact tracers, but indicators showed we would reach those numbers in time.
New York City and New York State are in agreement that all indicators are lining up to start Phase 1 on June 8th. THIS is because of the hard work and sacrifice of New Yorkers.
Thank you @NYGovCuomo. We’re all on the same page. Let’s get this done together.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 29, 2020
So what does this mean?
- Phase 1 of reopening includes construction, manufacturing, wholesalers, and nonessential retail like clothing stores for curbside or in-store pickup only. Lots of small NYC stores and boutiques are preparing to open back up in this capacity. There are very specific guidelines they must adhere to.
- About 400,000 people will be returning to work
- The city is putting additional features in place within the industries to keep safety measures (like markings of 6 feet at construction sites)
- New Yorkers must continue to practice social distancing (stay 6 feet apart) as much as possible and must continue to wear face coverings when unable to social distance
- The NYC subway and buses are back on their full running schedule (though not completely regular – it is still closed from 1-5am for cleaning practices)
- All MTA passengers must wear face coverings
- There are also additional hand sanitizing dispensers in subway stations
Welcome to Phase 1 reopening, NYC! If you’re riding with us today, welcome back!
Here’s what you can expect from us:
✅Increased service
✅Face coverings required
✅24/7 cleaning
✅Hand sanitizer dispensers
✅Social distancing decals and wayfinding pic.twitter.com/HQWrcf5qCK— MTA. Wear a Mask. Stop the Spread. (@MTA) June 8, 2020
As NYC just begins to enter Phase 1, the last of all NYS regions, Phase 2 of reopening is now beginning in North Country, Finger Lakes, Central NY, Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier. This was just updated to include outdoor dining along with hair salons and barber shops, real estate, in-store retail, vehicle sales, leases, and rentals, and commercial building management. You can read more details here. Of course, the city will have to maintain the state benchmarks for two weeks until it can reach Phase 2.
See also: Outdoor Dining In NYC Could Reopen By June 22
featured image source: Photo by Hardik Pandya on Unsplash