By Gloria Dulan-Wilson
Hello All:
Well, this is not at all how we want to start our Sunday, or our week; but we have to deal with the fact that the spectre of Covid-19 still looms large over New York, as well as America. Sadly, much of it is the result of blatant disregard for the guidelines that were outlined by both Governor Cuomo and Mayor DeBlasio. This has precipitated an uptick in contamination, which they hope they will be able to stem before it reaches the horrific proportions experienced in the early stages of the pandemic, causing the loss of thousands of lives of New Yorkers - not to mention jobs, unemployment, and peace of mind. I am sending up a prayer for my fellow New Yorkers - as well as all those who have been inflicted or infected by this horrific virus. Stay Blessed - GDW
I’m going to be giving an update that gives me no joy at all. In fact, it pains me to be putting forward this approach that we’ll need. But in some parts of our city, in Brooklyn and Queens, we’re having an extraordinary problem, something we haven’t seen since the spring. And we have to address this issue forthrightly. That’s why we’re here on a Sunday after several days of continuing to review all the data, look at everything from the point of view that has gotten us this far as a city, always relying on the data and the science. What has become clear is that there are a number of neighborhoods now that have continued to have a high level of coronavirus positivity and that requires stronger action than we’ve had to take for many months. So the plan is to rewind in these nine zip codes. To rewind, to go back, to address the problem by using the tools that we know work, which is to ensure that non-essential businesses are not open and a variety of activities are not happening. Again, no joy in saying that. But that, unfortunately, we do know is what is necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
New York to ‘Rewind’ Re-Opening in Hard-Hit Neighborhoods
By Dana Rubinstein, Daniel E. Slotnik and
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York announced plans to close nonessential businesses, schools and day care centers in nine neighborhoods where the coronavirus testing positivity rates have been higher than 3 percent in the past 7 days.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that he intended to “rewind” the reopening in nine neighborhoods in New York City that have had a testing positivity rate of more than 3 percent over the last seven days.
That means the closure of nonessential businesses, public and private schools and day care centers in those neighborhoods, which are in Brooklyn and Queens. Many of them have large populations of Orthodox Jews, and the virus has been spreading rapidly in those communities in recent weeks.
The mayor said he would also put lesser restrictions on 11 other neighborhoods where the rates are rising.
In total, the mayor’s plan would affect only 20 of the 146 ZIP codes in the city. Still, the move reflects the growing fear of a second wave of the virus, and marks the first major reversal in the city’s reopening since it was hit hard by the outbreak in March.
If approved by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the plan would go into effect on Wednesday.
“Today, unfortunately, is not a day for celebration,” Mr. de Blasio said. “Today is a more difficult day.”
The nine ZIP codes subject to the most severe restrictions include portions of Far Rockaway and Kew Gardens in Queens, and Borough Park, Midwood, Gravesend, Bensonhurst and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn.
The restrictions would be in place in these neighborhoods for two to four weeks, if not longer, depending on the success of efforts to curb the virus, the mayor said.
The city is also closely watching the 11 additional ZIP codes, which Mr. de Blasio described as a “real concern.”
They include parts of Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Manhattan Beach, Bergen Beach, Kensington and Crown Heights in Brooklyn. The Queens neighborhoods include Rego Park, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest and Jamaica Estates.
In those neighborhoods, the city will curtail indoor dining, which has only just begun, and close gyms and pools.
Most of the schools set to close are nonpublic schools, largely yeshivas in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods that have been open for weeks. About 200 private schools will close, and 100 public schools, officials said.
There are about 1,800 public schools in New York City. The new restrictions come just three days after the city’s school system fully reopened. Children returned to elementary school classrooms on Tuesday, and to middle and high schools on Thursday. Principals and teachers have been working for months to prepare for in-person learning.
The mayor emphasized that the school closures were not prompted by outbreaks in schools, but came “out of an abundance of caution.”
“We have seen very little coronavirus activity in our schools,” he said.
Houses of worship will remain open throughout the city, even in the nine ZIP codes where the new restrictions will be adopted.
Mr. de Blasio said he planned to work with the state on enforcement measures. He said he was not certain about the details, but that “we want the maximum education, maximum mask distribution, maximum enforcement.”
“We’ve had 1,000 city personnel out in the key ZIP codes over the last few days in a very, very intensive enforcement effort,” Mr. de Blasio said. “We are finding some places where enforcement is needed, but really not that many in the scheme of things. But we will keep pounding away with that and we will certainly work with the state in every way possible.”
Mr. Cuomo offered no immediate comment on whether he would approve Mr. de Blasio’s plan. The two have often feuded, and have been at odds over how to handle the outbreak.
But as Mr. de Blasio was making his announcement, Mr. Cuomo did issue a statement that criticized local officials across the state for their failure to curb the virus in hot spots.
“Local governments have not done an effective job of enforcement in these hot spot ZIP codes,” Mr. Cuomo said.
In his statement, he made no mention of whether a similar lockdown would be adopted in portions of Rockland and Orange Counties, north of the city. Both have large populations of Orthodox Jews, and have seen sharply increasing infection rates in recent days.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
WEAR YOUR MASKS, WASH YOUR HANDS, MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING
STAY HEALTHY AND STAY BLESSED
Gloria Dulan-Wilson
