De Blasio Says This Is Going To Be The Summer Of New York City
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York set a goal on Thursday for a full reopening of city businesses on July 1, but his authority to lift restrictions was somewhat limited. Capacity limits have been set by the state.
By Michael Gold and
Mayor Bill de Blasio declared on Thursday that New York City would fully reopen on July 1, conjuring up a tantalizing vision of a summer in which the nations largest city would throw open its doors and return to its prepandemic vibrancy.
This is going to be the summer of New York City, Mr. de Blasio said at a news briefing. Were all going to get to enjoy the city again, and people are going to flock here from all over the country to be a part of this amazing moment.
The mayors promise brought hope that after more than a year of restrictions, New Yorkers and tourists could once again swarm shops and galleries, baseball fans could watch games at sports bars, and sweaty revelers could dance until the wee hours at nightclubs.
Yet restoring the city to its earlier state, before it was stifled by the virus and scarred by profound losses, will pose a significant challenge.
The citys devastated cultural sector has yet to bounce back. Mr. de Blasio hailed the impact a reopening would have on the theater industry, but full-scale productions on Broadway one of the citys crown jewels and a key draw for tourists will not return until September at the earliest, the Broadway League confirmed in a statement.
State Of The City : Mayor De Blasio Announces A Recovery For All Of Us
NEW YORKMayor Bill de Blasio today announced a bold recovery plan for all New Yorkers as part of his 2021 State of the City address and unveiled the Citys recovery website: RecoveryForAll.nyc.gov. The address can be viewed here.
New York City always fights back, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. And we will do so again. Together, we will create a stronger, fairer and safer city for all New Yorkers.
The Mayors 2021 agenda is centered around using public health to drive a fair recovery for all New Yorkers. The plan prioritizes vaccinating against COVID-19 to jumpstart the recovery, using the City government to fight inequality, building a fairer economy, helping our children recover emotionally and academically from the impact of COVID, strengthening community based solutions to public safety and fighting the climate crisis.
VACCINATE TO JUMPSTART THE RECOVERY
The foundation of a recovery for all of us is a massive vaccination effort. In 2021, New York City will lead the largest vaccination effort in our history to defeat COVID-19 and supercharge our recovery.
Reaching the 5 Million Milestone in June
New York Citys vaccination effort is the foundation of a recovery for all of us. With every vaccine shot, New York City moves closer and closer to fully reopening our economy, restoring the jobs we lost and ensuring equality in our comeback.
Full City Government Workforce Return Begins in May
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BEND GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT INEQUALITY
The Year of 5G
Dr Fauci Dishes On ‘much Worse’ Covid Rebound After Paxlovid Treatment
New York City could start reopening from its coronavirus-induced shutdown as early as June 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.
All roads are leading to the first half of June, de Blasio said during his daily coronavirus press briefing, explaining that the Big Apple is expected to meet its own targets involving hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and the amount of those testing positive for the bug, as well as the states seven COVID-related benchmarks by that time.
Clarifying the timing of the citys phased reopening, de Blasio said, Im saying first half of June. Im obviously giving a little bit of range there, but I mean literally the first half of June, so somewhere between June 1 and June 15.
Im basing that on everything we know today, de Blasio said, adding, This disease has thrown us a lot of curveballs so were not going to rest on laurels or assume we have a crystal ball.
Were basing it on the trend, which has been pretty damn consistent, the mayor said.
The mayor said that when the city enters phase one of reopening, it will be based on state guidelines, possibly with some modifications for the reality of New York City.
Under phase one of New Yorks four-phase coronavirus reopening plan, construction, manufacturing and wholesale supply chains, and retail businesses with curbside pickup can reopen.
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Nyc’s New Normal: When Will The City Reopen And What Will It Look Like
Staten Island Ferry service was previously slashed because of the coronavirus pandemic with boats running every hour as ridership dramatically plunged.
Meanwhile, de Blasio called it a pretty good day when it comes to the latest statistics for the citys daily coronavirus indicators.
Its a pretty good day, I want to get to great days, but its a good day, he said.
Patients in intensive care units for suspected COVID-19 across the citys public hospital system dropped from 483 on Monday to 477 on Tuesday, while the number of people admitted to Big Apple hospitals also declined from 63 on Monday to 60 on Tuesday, according to the data, which has a two-day reporting lag.
For more than a week we have been around or even below the annual average for folks admitted to hospitals for this broad kind of disease, de Blasio said. This is very powerful.
The percentage of people tested citywide who are positive for coronavirus, however, ticked up slightly from 8 percent on Monday to 9 percent on Tuesday.
De Blasio pointed out that in the last 10 days that measure has been below 15 percent with several days in the single digits.
You see a little fluctuation, said de Blasio who called the stats remarkable progress.
Additional reporting by Bernadette Hogan
Things To Work Through
On Friday, de Blasio said an announcement on senior centers would be coming soon but cautioned weve got a few things to work through.
Wed like to get our seniors back to senior centers, de Blasio said during his weekly call-in to Brian Lehrers WNYC radio show. We know it means a lot to them. Its a big part of their life. Its a big part of their day to be with their friends, a lot of good services they get.
DFTA officials say they are waiting for the city Department of Health to sign off on the reopening of centers to protect a vulnerable population.
Health Department officials have declined to detail what safety metrics they are waiting to hit before letting seniors return to in-person meals and socializing.
Barring seniors who cant show proof of vaccination would be prohibited by law, according to DFTA officials.
Elderly Bronx residents sat outside a closed senior center as temperatures soared into the 80s, May 27, 2021.
Hiram Alejandro Durán/THE CITY
As for the grab-and-go meal program, it has been slow to get off the ground because some organizations are waiting for their budget to be approved or for DFTA nutritionists to sign off on menus, Nickerson said.
Additional centers are planning to begin offering that meal pickup service in the coming days, Dina Montes, a DFTA spokesperson, said.
The new plan has one primary goal: to broaden and deepen services provided to seniors so they can avoid institutional care until medically necessary.
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De Blasio Announces Nyc Schools Will Open As Planned After Holiday Recess
Outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced that schools will reopen as planned following the winter break on Jan. 3, despite the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the spread of the omicron variant.
The science is clear. Schools need to be open, de Blasio said in a press briefing. Everyone talks about the needs of our kids. Their health needs, physical health, mental health, nutrition needs, their social development. These are academic needs, schools need to be open.
De Blasio credited vaccinations with helping to keep schools safe for students to attend and encouraged parents, particularly those with younger children, to get their kids vaccinated.
As part of New York Citys effort to keep school open amid the surge of cases, de Blasio announced that schools would be doubling the amount COVID-19 testing and both vaccinated and unvaccinated students would be included in this measure.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul voiced support for the planned school reopening, recalling what she called the failed experiment of remote learning and how it negatively affected students, parents and teachers.
It is so important that we get our kids back to school as soon as this winter break is over, we all have such a strong public interest, she said.
Hochul announced that 2 million at-home test kits will be sent out to New York City public schools for students to use to help support their return to in-person learning.
Nyc Rolling Out Virtual Learning Programs With Aim To Be Fully Remote Schools By 2023
Get this guy a calendar.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday finally unveiled his plan for reopening New York City, but it was nothing more than a vague rehash of the states guidelines issued weeks ago and with no firm dates.
You can expect it to be in the first and second week of June, if the numbers continue to hold or progress, de Blasio said at his daily press briefing about the citys comeback seemingly unaware that Monday is June 1.
He also said, We do not have a specific date.
Were not going to tell people the day in advance, de Blasio said. The day it happens is the day the numbers tell us were there.
Instead of providing specifics, de Blasio reiterated guidelines issued by New York state for phase one businesses, including staying six feet apart and operating under 50 percent of maximum capacity.
New York City is the last of the states 10 economic regions to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, with neighboring Long Island starting back up on Wednesday.
As of Thursday, 59 people are currently hospitalized in the city for coronavirus, while 6 percent have tested positive for the disease.
We have never been that low, de Blasio said of the testing rate. To date, as we do more and more testing, basically the numbers are going to go down. Thats a great sign for the future of this city.
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New York City Schools Fully Reopen For The First Time In More Than A Year
Mayor Bill de Blasio delivers remarks at the New York State Financial Control Board annual meeting on Aug. 3. | Richard Drew/AP Photo
09/13/2021 01:13 PM EDT
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New York City schools fully reopened on Monday for the first time in a year and a half, welcoming close to a million students back to in-person education most of them for their first day in school since the Covid-19 pandemic set in.
The reopening of classrooms came on the same day all municipal workers were ordered back to their offices and the city began enforcing a vaccine mandate for indoor businesses a series of milestones in New Yorks emergence from the pandemic that has hobbled the city since March 2020.
This is the day we have been waiting for, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press briefing. This is the day: New York Citys comeback in full force.
The more contagious Delta variant has complicated the citys efforts to reopen from the coronavirus crisis and prompted calls for a remote education option to be made available for parents who want it, a push that de Blasio fiercely resisted.
There are kids who have not been in a classroom in a year and a half, and they deserve better. They should not have to wait another day, de Blasio said Monday. Kids need to be back in school for their mental health, their physical health, their ability to develop socially for so many reasons.
The city did not immediately have data on how many students attended the first day of school.
Full Reopening Of Brooklyns Bars Restaurants And Other Businesses Announced By A Mayor Who Doesn’t Actually Have That Authority
By Amelia Anthony and Brian Braiker
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday morning that the city will be ready to get back to pre-pandemic businessallowing restaurants and stadiums and businesses to operate a full capacity by July. The plan, he said, is to fully reopen New York City on July 1.
And yet, as many observers point out, the mayor has not historically had the authority to make such a declaration. That tends to fall to the state: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, unable to let an opportunity to one-up the mayor slide by, said he was hopeful that New York can fully reopen earlier than July.
Still, the state legislature has recently greenlit a flurry of other developments: The midnight dining curfews on dining outdoors and indoors are being lifted May 17 and May 31, respectively. The state legislature also just suspended the reviled Cuomo snacks directive issued by the governor that required customers to order food when purchasing alcohol at bars and restaurants.
Cheers to the Assembly repealing the need to buy food when you buy a beer. No more #CuomoSnacks! wrote Assembly Member Robert Carrol of Brooklyns 44th District .
Some dismissed the mayors announcement as arbitraryas if Covids just going to pack up its bags and leave the city.
I dont envy the person who explains to a NYC high school senior that she couldnt have a normal graduation on June 25, but can go see Tina at Lunt-Fontnne on July 1, wrote Taylor Tepper, a Forbes advisor, on Twitter.
Taylor Tepper
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When Will New York City Reopen Bill De Blasio Outlines Timeline
New York City will “fully reopen” on July 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.
“Our plan is to fully reopen New York City on July 1. We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theatersfull strength,” the mayor said in an interview Thursday on MSNBC‘s Morning Joeprogram.
“Because look, what we’re seeing is people have gotten vaccinatedan extraordinary number6.3 million vaccinations in New York City to date,” the mayor said, highlighting the vaccination site at The American Museum of Natural History.
De Blasio noted the museum is “providing free vaccinations under the Blue Whale and giving away free admissions. Four free admissions if you get vaccinated.”
“We know the vaccination effort’s gonna grow and grow. We gotta keep working hard at that,” he added.
The mayor’s latest announcement follows one by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announcing the easing of more restrictions, including the resuming of bar seating in New York City.
“Starting May 3, seating at bars will be allowed in New York City, consistent with the food services guidance that is in effect statewide,” the governor’s office said in a statement Wednesday.
The state’s 12 a.m. food and beverage service curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining areas from May 17, while for indoor dining areas it will be lifted from May 31.
Its Bad: Adams Admits Being Shocked By The Sorry State Of Nyc
Mayor Bill de Blasio insisted Monday the Big Apple will be prepared for full reopening by the beginning of July as New York reached its lowest COVID-19 positivity rate in months and the citys residents continue to get vaccinated.
Look, we are going to be ready July 1. Eight weeks from now, New York City is going to come back, because we are making incredible progress, Hizzoner said on Spanish-language TV network Telemundos morning show, Hoy Día.
New Yorkers want a reopening, and theyre actually doing something about it, going out and getting vaccinated in extraordinary numbers.
This is going to be an amazing summer in New York City, its going to be an exciting summer, and were going to be ready for it.
De Blasios summer reopening optimism comes as New York states COVID-19 positivity rate over the weekend dropped to below 1.5 percent the lowest since October, before the holiday season and winter surge, according to state data.
In the five boroughs, the seven-day positive case rate clocked in at just 1.78 percent on Saturday, when just 33 people died of COVID-19 in the Empire State.
However, the easing of the citys COVID restrictions will not ultimately be decided by de Blasio, who has been repeatedly bigfooted by the governor throughout the pandemic.
On Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo mocked the mayors July 1 reopening goal.
I dont want to wait that long, he said. I think we can do it before that.
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The Mayor Promises A Summer To Remember In New York Can He Deliver
A pledge from Mayor Bill de Blasio that New York City would fully reopen on July 1 brought hope. But his vision of a city reborn faces significant obstacles.
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Nyc Backtracks On Progress Toward Reopening Checklist
De Blasio touted Big Apple residents for the progress the city has made in its battle against the coronavirus, saying, Something very good is happening because of your hard work.
However, the mayor said, Were talking about small, smart steps, adding, It will take a series of steps over time to get back to anything like normal.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, speaking during his own press briefing later Thursday, said that when it comes to reopening New York City and other regions, We dont want financial ruin, but we dont want death either, so thats the balance were trying to find.
We dont want to make a mistake now, and go back to a spike that would be the worst case scenario, he said.
Cuomos top aide Melissa DeRosa added that the city, based on the metrics, is on track to reopen in June.
I believe what Mayor de Blasio said is looks like were on track for June based on the metrics with a big asterisks for what happens between now and then, and again we are on the exact same page as them. Based on the metrics that is what it looks like, DeRosa said.
Cuomo, who said he spoke to de Blasio, continued, We said we all have the same numbers and the same criteria. The only question is when we hit those numbers and that comes down to what people do.
We obviously see people out more. We see more traffic. We have to start making adjustments accordingly, said de Blasio, who noted that ridership is up to 600 passengers daily.
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