Governor Cuomo Responds to Outbreaks with Partial Shutdowns – Updated Post
UPDATE (10/8/20)
The State has identified clusters of Covid-19 outbreaks in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, in Orange and Rockland Counties, and in Binghamton. To stop the spread of clusters to the greater population the State is launching a “Cluster Action Initiative,” which will take dramatic actions within the cluster and precautionary measures in surrounding areas. The initiative will follow caseloads, not zip codes or census tract.
Clusters will be labeled with colors based on their positivity rates. The cluster zones will be designated with three different levels based on proximity to the cluster: red, orange, and yellow. Within each color code there will be new restrictions imposed:
Red zone (within 1 mile of the cluster) – dining for takeout/delivery only, in-person school closed/remote classes only, non-essential businesses must close, mass gatherings prohibited, religious gatherings limited to 25% occupancy with a maximum of 10 people
Orange zone (within 1.5 mile of the cluster) – outdoor dining only/tables limited to 4 people, in-person school closed/remote classes only, closing high-risk non-essential businesses (gyms, salons, etc.), mass gatherings limited to 10 people indoors & outdoors, religious gatherings limited to 33% occupancy with a maximum of 25 people
Yellow zone (within 2 miles of the cluster) – indoor & outdoor dining/tables limited to 4 people, in-person school open/mandatory testing required, mass gatherings limited to 25 people indoors & outdoors, religious gatherings limited to 50% occupancy
Takeout and delivery will continue to be permitted in the Orange and Yellow zones and cocktails-to-go continues statewide through at least November 3rd.
The specific locations covered by each of the zones for the various clusters is expected to be announced within the next few days after the State consults with local governments. We’ll update this post once the State publishes this important information.