Connecting. Creating. Celebrating. s tta e tt R c i g r t s s e arrttiin R i ff O n c i go D r t o s k i r D Op a k pe r P erra a k P attiio c k e on c N nss Pl e t N a Pla t e a an r e n r G G
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Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction..................................................................................3 Mission Statement and Vision Statement........................4 Background..................................................................................5 New York Forward.....................................................................6 Reopening Timeline...................................................................7 Return-to-Work Regulations.................................................8 General Staff Guidelines....................................................9 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).......................10 COVID-19 Testing................................................................. 11 Daily Health Screenings................................................... 12 Positive COVID-19 Test..................................................... 13 Notice of Positive COVID-19 Test................................. 14 Scheduling, Work Locations, Time Clocks............... 15 Staffing................................................................................... 16 Parks, Open Spaces and Trails.......................................17-18 Phase 2 Opening - Restrooms...................................... 19 Phase 2 Opening - Playgrounds..................................20 Phase 3 Opening - Dog Park......................................... 21 Phase 3 Opening - Picnic Shelters/Permits............. 21 Phase 3 Opening - Athletic Fields............................... 21 Phase 3 Opening - Splash Pads.................................... 21 Phase 3 Opening - Drinking Fountains...................... 21 Tennis........................................................................................... 22 Phase 1 Opening................................................................. 22 Phase 2 Opening................................................................ 23 Player Safely Tips and Recommendations.............. 23 Camps.......................................................................................... 26 Determining Factors for Providing Camp............... 26 Enhanced Health/Safety Precautions....................... 26 Important Modifications and Changes............... 26-31 Enrollment/Addressing Capacity Issues................... 31 Behavior Management..................................................... 31 Staffing Considerations.................................................. 32 Medical Staff........................................................................ 32 Camp Superviors............................................................... 32 Camp Director & Assistant Director.......................... 32 Counselors............................................................................ 32 Instructional Swim/Free Swim...............................32-33
Parkwood Family Aquatic Center.....................................34 Capacity................................................................................ 35 Operating Hours/Reservations.................................... 35 Season/Fees........................................................................ 35 Seating................................................................................... 35 Health Screenings............................................................. 36 Additional PFAC Modifications.................................... 36 Lazy River/Lap Lines....................................................... 37 Designated Seating Areas............................................. 37 Staffing Considerations.................................................. 37 Enhanced Cleaning Plan................................................. 38 Marina .......................................................................................... 39 Appendix A: Self-Health Check Process Appendix B: Family First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA) Appendix C: New York Forward Plan Appendix D: Camp Guidelines Appendix E: Childcare & Summer Camp Guidelines Appendix F: Sports & Recreation Guidelines Appendix G: Guidance for Pools & Spray Grounds Appendix H: Material Data Sheets
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
INTRODUCTION With the anticipated loosening of stay-athome directives and in following of the NY Forward plan set by New York State (NYS), it is critical for the Great Neck Park District (GNPD) to proactively identify and establish sound protocols for the phased reopening of our parks, programs and facilities. Recognizing there is no existing vaccine for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), GNPD is dedicated to implementing policies and measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This will require many significant changes to our operations, especially during the initial phases, to best ensure the well-being of our employees and the public we serve. This Restarting of Operations Plan is grounded on recommended best practices from many sources, including the NYS NY Forward plan, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Recreation and Park Association, New York State Recreation and Parks Society, and other organizations. Recognizing that specific guidance is not available for all of our operations, GNPD also sought advice from the Nassau County Department of Health. Recognizing that GNPD operations are considerably funded by user fees, it is critical that this plan not ignore the financial ramifications for the phased reopening of operations. GNPD will not compromise on a necessary protocol or measure due to cost. The safety of our patrons and employees is and will always remain paramount. GNPD will consider revenue generation as it prioritizes what services to provide when it is safe to provide such services to best ensure we have the necessary funding to begin bringing back seasonal and part-time employees.
The GNPD has been dedicated to providing new and creative recreational services throughout our closure in order to meet the needs of our residents during this challenging time. These services included our live-streaming classes, drive-in movies and digital special events. The GNPD will continue to explore how we deliver our programming to the community in new safe and exciting ways. We will be updating and revising our Restarting of Operations Plan as this fast moving situation continues to evolve. All decisions will be made based on scientific findings, new or revised mandates or recommendations from governing authorities, and continual observation of what is and is not working effectively as our operations resume. This document should be used as a tool for establishing GNPD’s strategy to reopen all operations including tennis, fields, playgrounds, splash pads, pools, restrooms and other amenities within our park system. It will also provide protocols for GNPD’s extensive array of programs including summer camps, aquatics, special events and other recreation programs. The plan describes protective measures put in place, how the work will be performed, the workflow from input to results and the necessary resources to be used along the way. The GNPD is committed to enhancing community by enriching the lives of our diverse residents through exceptional park spaces, facilities, recreational experiences and preserving the environment.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
MISSION STATEMENT
VISION STATEMENT
The Great Neck Park District is committed to enhancing community by enriching the lives of our diverse residents through exceptional park spaces, facilities, recreational experiences and preserving the environment.
Connecting, Creating, Celebrating!
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
BACKGROUND The Great Neck Park District (GNPD), the oldest park system in Nassau County and one of the only park districts in New York State, was formed by long-time resident, Roswell Eldridge. Just months before it was established a New York State law went into effect allowing towns to create park districts as special districts within their borders. It was on Monday, August 14, 1916, that Roswell Eldridge of Great Neck appeared before the Board of the Town of North Hempstead in Manhasset, NY, and filed a petition for the establishment of the Great Neck Park District.
The District is overseen by a three-member Board of Commissioners. The Board is responsible for adopting policy related to the District and ensuring the financial sustainability of the system. The day-to-day operations are managed and overseen by the Superintendent. The Superintendent manages recreation programming, park operations and financial implementation. There are currently 13 parks in the GNPD system. Additionally, GNPD manages and operates six (6) special-use facilities: Great Neck House (indoor recreation program space), Parkwood Sports Complex (home to the ice arena, tennis center, and aquatics center), three (3) commuter parking fields and a dog park. Three (3) other parkland areas are classified as open space.
Its founding mission was to obtain and preserve open space. The community association was to be outside any village or city and supported by taxes on District residents. Creation of the Great Neck Park District was widely supported; 90 percent of the people approached about the petition signed it. In addition, the petitioners collected $200,000 above the necessary onehalf of the assessed value of the taxable real property in the proposed district. The petition for the establishment of the Great Neck Park District was then granted; it is comprised of the Villages of Great Neck, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Thomaston, Kings Point and Russell Gardens. The District originally served 750 families, whereas today the Great Neck Park District serves more than 13,500 families living within its borders.
The GNPD has a $19.6 million operating budget and 29.4% is of that cost is recovered through generated revenues. Unfortunately, due to the closure of the GNPD facilities and programs on March 13, 2020, no revenue was generated through May 23, 2020, when outdoor tennis programming and marina services began in a limited capacity. As of June 8, 2020, no other revenue-generating programs have been offered due to COVID-19 restrictions.
There are currently 13 parks in the GNPD system. Additionally, GNPD manages and operates six (6) special-use facilities: Great Neck House (indoor recreation program space), Parkwood Sports Complex (home to the ice arena, tennis center, and aquatics center), three (3) commuter parking fields and a dog park. Three (3) other parkland areas are classified as open space. 5
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
NEW YORK FORWARD Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order to put the State on “pause” effective March 22, 2020. The NY on PAUSE executive order stated 100 percent of the non-essential workforce should stay home.
Nassau County entered into Phase 2 on June tenth, while arts, entertainment and recreation are scheduled to be part of Phase 4 in the NYS reopening plan. Although recreation is not permitted until Phase 4, a number of recreational programs have been permitted as per NYS. These include tennis, marina services, drive-in movies and June 29th day camps.
As the State works to control and stop the spread of COVID-19, Governor Cuomo introduced the New York Forward plan on May Fourth which provides a roadmap on how to safely reopen the State of NY. The plan aims to provide guidance on how to safely open up New York’s economy while remaining vigilant about protecting the health and well-being of residents.
This document pairs up the phased reopening of our parks, programs and services with the timelines provided by the State.
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Connecting. Creating. Celebrating. Restarting of Operations RE-OPENING TIMELINE Stages are subject to change based on CDC guidance, New York State mandates and other new information. Additional restrictions could apply. For more information visit www.gnparks.org.
Facility/Program
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
May 23
June 13-June 19
June 29-July 13
August 1-15
Parks/Trails/Open Space
OPEN
Tennis
OPEN (Memorial Field & Allenwood Park)
Parkwood Private Lesson Booking
Marina/Dock
OPEN (Boaters Only)
OPEN (Boaters Only) Open to Public after 6 p.m.
Drive-in Movies
Winter Make-up Lessons
Summer Lessons & Program Sessions
Dock Open to Public Programs & Rentals
OPEN
Restrooms
CLOSED
June 13-19
OPEN
Playgrounds
CLOSED
June 19
OPEN
Dog Park
CLOSED
CLOSED
July 1
OPEN
Pools
CLOSED
CLOSED
July 3
OPEN
Camps - Tennis, Sailing, Parkwood
CLOSED
CLOSED
July 13
OPEN
Summer Performing Arts
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
August 1 - Sept. 5
Picnic Permits
CLOSED
CLOSED
TBD
Open August 1
Athletic Fields
CLOSED
CLOSED
TBD
Field Permits August 1
Splash Pads
CLOSED
CLOSED
TBD
TBD
LIVE STREAM ONLY
LIVE STREAM ONLY
LIVE STREAM/ OUTDOOR
OUTDOOR
Recreation Center
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
Indoor Spaces/Ice Rink
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
Water Fountains
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
Programs
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
RETURN-TO-WORK REGULATIONS Recalling Employees Onsite
Family First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA)
Employees will be recalled to onsite work using a phased-in approach as noted within specific division plans. As different areas become operational, GNPD will prioritize the recall of fulltime staff based upon skills needed for respective functions (i.e. maintenance, front desk operation, programs, etc.). Staff may be required to perform additional duties and hours outside of their pre-pandemic responsibilities.
Under the FFCRA, a full-time or part-time employee qualifies for paid sick time if the employee is unable to work (or unable to telework) due to a need for leave because the employee (seasonal employees not covered under FFCRA): 1. is subject to a Federal, State or local Quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
As GNPD begins to recall part-time/seasonal staff, each division will be required to identify their needs (skill-set, schedule, etc.) in order to promote equal opportunity. In instances where two staff members are available for a specific need, seniority will factor into priority of activation. Employees being recalled will receive notice of recall via email and phone call from their direct supervisor.
2. has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19; 3. is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking medical diagnosis; 4. is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2); 5. is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19; 6. is experiencing any other substantially-similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Treasury. Under the FFCRA an employee qualifies for expanded family leave if the employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19. More details can be found in Appendix B.
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GENERAL STAFF GUIDELINES In order to promote a safe environment for GNPD staff and the patrons who participate and utilize the programs and services offered, the following parameters will be strictly enforced until NYS and Nassau County progress further into recovery. In some instances, as noted within the plan, staff with increased exposure to the public may require COVID-19 testing, self-health screening and utilization of personal protective equipment.
For all workers, regardless of exposure risks, it is always a good practice to: • Frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcoholbased hand rub with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands that are visibly soiled. o
GNPD divisions should develop staff schedules that allow for short breaks to increase frequency with which staff can wash hands with soap and water.
o
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol shall be provided at work stations with high customer volumes.
• Avoid touching your entire face, including your eyes, nose or mouth, with unwashed hands. • Practice good respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes. • Stay home if sick. • Recognize personal risk factors – certain individuals, including older adults and those with underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) Measures for protecting patrons and GNPD staff from exposure to, and infection with, COVID-19, depend on the type of work being performed and exposure risk. While each GNPD division or program may implement individual infection control strategies based on assessment of exposure risk, the GNPD is requiring the minimal guideline enforcement for personal protective equipment as recommended by the Center for Disease Control. Each division is responsible for training staff on proper fitting, and using PPE, as well as safe removal, sanitizing and disposal. • Staff who have frequent contact with the public should utilize cloth or disposable face covering for work that requires high customer-volume environments. This may include, but is not limited to, cleaning public spaces, point of sale (passes, credit cards, etc.) and for first aid related emergencies. GNPD will provide each employee with a cloth, washable face covering. It is highly recommended that coverings are cleaned each evening. Coverings should: o
fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.
o
be secured with ear loops.
o
allow for breathing without restriction.
• Staff who have frequent contact with the public should utilize disposable gloves for work that requires high customer-volume environments. This may include, but is not limited to, cleaning public spaces, point of sale (passes, credit cards, etc.), and for first aid related emergencies. Care must be taken to not cross-contaminate other areas or work spaces when disposable gloves are utilized. o
Before putting on gloves staff should clean hands with soap and water following hygiene guidelines noted on page 9.
o
Gloves that become worn or visibly contaminated should be replaced.
• When eye protection is needed, use goggles or eye shields. o Personal eyeglasses are not considered eye protection. • After removing PPE, always wash hands with soap and water, if available, for at least 20 seconds.
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COVID-19 TESTING GNPD understands the possibility that employees may be a carrier of COVID-19, posing a direct threat to the health of others; therefore, the GNPD may request employees be subject to COVID-19 testing upon the reopening of their respective area or program. This will be initiated as a preventative measure to promote a healthy and safe work environment and will ensure that services remain operational while helping avoid a depleted work force. Employees will obtain testing, free of charge by a local testing facility contracted by GNPD. To ensure that test results are received prior to the “restart” of a respective area, employees will receive detailed direction on how their test will be facilitated a minimum of five (5) days in advance.
Those individuals who have already received a COVID-19 test, and paid out of pocket, are not eligible for reimbursement. Employees will be required to take a secondary test facilitated by GNPD unless a previous test was taken within seven (7) days of the reopening of their respective area. Proof of test must be provided to the employee’s direct supervisor and approved by the GNPD in order to bypass a secondary test. Employees who do not comply with testing protocol are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
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DAILY HEALTH SCREENINGS Employees who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, should not report for their scheduled shift and should contact their direct supervisor who will notify their respective division director. Depending on the type of work being performed and exposure risk, specific divisions or programs will require employees to undergo a daily self-health screen prior to arriving at work. Each work location will have designated screening locations as depicted in the “Daily Self-Health Check Process” flowchart (Appendix C). Employees will clock in and report to the screening location. Employees will stay at least six (6) feet apart while waiting to self-screen. During the screening process, each employee will conduct a temperature check using a non-contact forehead infrared thermometer. All employees will be required to fill out a brief questionnaire to help ensure that they are healthy and to promote a safe work environment. Information from the questionnaire will be received by the supervisor of each division and will remain confidential. For precautionary reasons, those employees who have a fever over 100.0° F or higher will be sent home. Additionally, those employees who present symptoms (coughing, difficulty breathing or a flush appearance) of illness will be asked to perform an additional self-health check. Supervisory staff should contact the Division Head to inform him/her of employees presenting symptoms. The Division
Head will advise on the next steps, including being sent home. If an employee does not consent to a pre-work or observed symptoms health screen, he/she will be sent home and required to provide documentation from a medical provider confirming that the employee can return to work. Employees sent home with a fever should not return to work until the following criteria are met: • the employee certifies in writing that he/ she is fever-free without fever reducing medications, and has been completely symptom free (no coughs, no chills, no symptoms consistent with COVID-19) for at least 72 hours (3 full days); AND • at least ten (10) days have passed since the later of the onset of symptoms that led to the employee being sent home; OR • the employee provides documentation from a medical provider confirming that the employee can return to work, that the employee had a negative test for COVID-19 and that any lingering symptoms, if applicable, are not the result of a contagious illness. GNPD reserves the right to require staff to undergo COVID-19 testing if an employee is symptomatic. If an employee is sent home, all areas in the facility the employee may have touched or visited will need to be cleaned and sanitized using division-specific protocols.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19 the following will take place regarding the workplace and coworkers: • Employee who tested positive will be required to obtain additional COVID-19 tests until which time he/she receives two (2) negative test results (back to back).
whom the employee may have come into meaningful contact during the 14-day period prior to the positive test (the “Incubation Period”). The employee should also be asked to identify all areas within the workplace where he/she was physically present during the Incubation Period.
• The Division Head will contact each co-worker identified by the employee and each co-worker who worked in any identified areas of the • Payroll/Finance Department workplace and advise that a will pull time clock records person with whom they have for the previous two-week been in recent contact and/ period to identify which staff or with whom they recently members the diagnosed shared a common work area employee had contact with. has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Instruct them • Division Head will contact that, out of an abundance the employee immediately of caution, the employer is and verify the diagnosis. requiring them to obtain a The employer will advise the COVID-19 test immediately, employee that his/her selfand that they are not permitted disclosure is appreciated, that to work until they receive a he/she will not be discriminated NEGATIVE test result. The or retaliated against because co-workers should also be of the diagnosis and that, reminded that discrimination or while information about the retaliation against individuals diagnosis may be shared with who are suspected to have others, the employee will not tested positive for, or been be identified by name. exposed to, COVID-19 (or • Management will take steps to any other illness) is strictly identify the scope of the risk prohibited. immediately. The employee • Management, working with the should be interviewed to Nassau County Department determine all co-workers with • All contact tracing should be completed in coordination with the Nassau County Department of Health and/or CDC.
of Health and/or CDC, will determine if employees that have come into meaningful contact need to quarantine for a period of up to 14 days. • Depending on the case, a general notice may be provided to other employees that an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 (without identifying the employee). Any such notice should reassure employees that, unless the employee has been notified directly by his/her Division Head, it is not believed that the employee has been in close contact with or shared a common workspace with the infected employee. Employees should be reassured that the employer is only providing the general notice to dispel any rumors and so that employees may continue to monitor themselves for symptoms and seek treatment if needed. • Additionally, positive employee will be advised of available testing by the State for those individuals (family, friends, etc.) that he/she has had physical contact with. • GNPD will shut down and sanitize areas of the workplace identified by the employee in accordance with CDC guidelines.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
NOTICE OF POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, contact tracing procedures will be activated. Staff who have been identified as potentially having contact with the infected individual will receive the following notification:
experience symptoms of respiratory illness (fever, coughing or shortness of breath), please inform your direct supervisor and contact your health care provider. The Great Neck Park District will keep all medical information confidential and will disclose it only on a need-to-know basis.
“We have been notified that one of our employees has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. As such, employees working at [division] may have been exposed to this virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. If you
The Great Neck Park District is taking measures to ensure the safety of our employees during this COVID-19 outbreak, including: [Describe the measures taken, such as disinfecting workspaces, offering telework, etc.] For more information on COVID-19, including symptoms and treatment, visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.
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SCHEDULING, WORK LOCATIONS, TIME CLOCKS Space planning solutions can be used to reduce transmission of contagious diseases among colleagues at work through social distancing. Solutions may differ depending on how many people are expected to return to work versus continue to work from home. Each GNPD division will need to assess its respective work areas to ensure maximum use of social distancing, including following the minimal precautions and measures:
Where feasible, maximum use of teleconference and remote work will continue for administrative functions, Board and staff meetings and general business (trainings, etc.) of the department. In instances where an in-person meeting cannot be avoided, staff must wear personal protective equipment as outlined in this plan, practice social distancing (6 feet minimum), refrain from using handouts/sign-in sheets and limit the number of individuals present to less than ten (10) total.
Circulation spaces
To the extent feasible, employees will work in shift rotations/teams. Employees should work with the same group of employees through shift rotations in an effort to prevent crosscontamination and to assist with contact tracing.
• Designate and sign the direction of foot-traffic in main circulation paths: corridors, stairs, entries. • Consider one-way circulation routes through the work location.
Employees working in high customer volume environments are required to have workspaces at a minimum of a six (6) feet apart. During shifts, employees will not share work stations, keyboards or desk telephones. At the beginning and end of each shift, the work location will be cleaned by the arriving/departing employee.
• Mark increments of acceptable social distance on floors or where queues could form. Individual seats • Increase space between desks.
Employees will utilize either a biometric time clock or may be asked to use a mobile ADP phone app to clock in and clock out and avoid using the stationary wall time clocks. For those individuals who may forget, or do not have a mobile phone, sanitation wipes will be stationed near the time clock so that employee can clean the surface of the time clock when utilizing.
• Relocate work spaces to limit contact. • Add panels between desks. • Specify seat assignments for employees to ensure minimum work distances.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
STAFFING It is not reasonable to expect that the GNPD will operate at pre-COVID-19 levels as it pertains to cost recovery efforts; therefore, it is important that expenses, including staffing, are controlled in a responsible manner. During the first two (2) phases of reopening, the GNPD has utilized a reduced staff to conduct operations. The GNPD has prioritized the recall of fulltime staff based upon skills needed for respective functions (i.e. maintenance, park supervision, cleaning, etc.). Staff may be required to perform additional duties and hours outside of their pre-COVID19 responsibilities.
Part-time staff will be slowly activated based on their specific training in the areas in which they are needed. As noted in the Return-to-Work guidelines, to the extent feasible, seniority will factor into priority of activation. Also, as noted in the scheduling section under the Returnto-Work Guidelines, to the extent feasible, employees will work in shift rotations/teams. Employees should work with the same group of employees through shift rotations in an effort to prevent cross-contamination and to assist with contact tracing. Unless otherwise noted, all staff will be required to wear PPE. Where feasible, staff will be encouraged to perform teleconference work for administrative functions of the facility. In instances where an in-person meeting cannot be avoided, staff will be required to wear PPE, practice social distancing (maintain a 6-foot minimum between staff) and limit the number of individuals present to less than ten (10) total.
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
PARKS, OPEN SPACES, AND TRAILS The GNPD manages over 253 acres of parkland and open space. With over 5.5 miles of trails, 16 playgrounds, ten (10) restroom buildings, and shelters the community has many options and amenities when it comes to outdoor recreation. The Parks division is responsible for maintaining these assets and many more priorities such as events and supporting large capital infrastructure improvements. The Parks division currently operates with 26 fulltime park maintenance staff, seven (7) park supervisors, one (1) senior supervisor, and one (1) division head.
The following rules and guidelines were put in place in our parks for the safety of our staff and residents and to reduce the number of visitors and length of stay at our accessible parks: • Areas closed for public and private on March 13, please reference our phased plan document for reopening of each: ballfields, playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, the dog park, spray pads, shelters/pavilions and indoor facilities. • Recreational activities must be limited to noncontact and you are required to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from others in public.
In response to the health and safety concerns arising from COVID-19, the GNPD suspended all programs and closed all facilities on March 13, 2020. Shortly after that on March 22, the NY ON PAUSE plan was enacted by the NY State Governor which banned all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.
• Park Pass required for each member of your family. • No guests permitted. • No restrooms. • Masks are strongly encouraged but are not mandatory when social distancing of 6 feet can be maintained in open spaces.
While the COVID-19 pandemic gained momentum, the GNPD led the way in establishing closures, posting signs and promoting CDC guidelines with public and employee safety at the forefront of the decision making. The GNPD believed that many of our parks, trails and open spaces could be used in a safe manner that allowed our residents to enjoy the mental and physical health benefits these spaces provide as our parks were accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Modified park hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Refrain from using parks or trails if you are exhibiting symptoms. • Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to and during use of parks or trails. • While on trails, warn other users of your presence and step aside to let others pass.
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PARKS, OPEN SPACES, AND TRAILS Disinfecting/Sanitizing Information
As GNPD parks, open space, and trails remained open and available, the Parks Division reduced the frequency of employee-to-employee interactions/contact and patrolling of the parks became the priority of the Parks Division staff. Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, part-time and seasonal staff were used in parks for custodial work, cleaning and supervision at our parks and facilities. Currently these responsibilities are being carried out with fulltime staff. As these operations resume part-time staff will be recalled to assist the department as identified within this plan.
The Parks division uses multiple cleaning and disinfecting agents for various types of parkrelated surface cleaning which is referenced throughout this outline of protocols as “disinfectants.� Each product has been verified as a reliable COVID-19 disinfectant and Safety Data Sheets are provided at the end of this document.
Additionally, please note that Parks division staff are already tasked with completing the following protocols as part of their routine cleaning duties: In addition to using COVID-19 disinfectants for cleaning surfaces, GNPD staff have been given alternative directives for engaging in operationally responsible behavior related to proper hygiene and social distancing. The Parks division has overall responsibility for managing the GNPD fleet. As such, the Parks division has taken precautions to manage risk associated with transfer of infectious disease through contact within the vehicles utilizing the following protocols: 1. Each employee has been instructed to wipe down the vehicle that he/she is assigned to daily, on commontouch surfaces such as door handles, locks, dashboards, buttons, steering wheels, steering column features, cup holders, storage compartments, transmission control knobs/arms and other surfaces. 2. All vehicles are limited to single use only.
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PHASE 2 OPENING (JUNE 13-JUNE 19, 2020) Restrooms
Restrooms are being cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day and at least every four (4) hours. The following procedures have been put in place for restroom use:
As parks were accessible in Phase 1 all restroom facilities were closed to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. The closure of the restrooms was also used to prevent social gatherings, long length of stays and unnecessary travel to parks from far distances. On June 13, 2020, all restrooms facilities at our outdoor parks were opened.
• Single use only, one in/one out procedures. A parent and child may enter together. • Wash/sanitize upon entering and exiting the rest room. • Maintain physical distancing while in line at least six (6) feet apart.
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PHASE 2 OPENING (JUNE 13-JUNE 19, 2020) Playgrounds On June 11, 2020, Governor Cuomo authorized that playgrounds can be open on a statewide basis, “subject to local discretion.” Accordingly, GNPD playgrounds are now open for public use and will be cleaned and sanitized daily. However, all parents and guardians should recognize that no reasonable disinfection protocol is available to make outdoor playground equipment safe from potential exposure to a variety of pathogens, such as COVID-19. As such, parents choosing to allow their children to use playground equipment should help children follow these guidelines: • Don’t visit the playground if it is crowded. • Stay home if you are sick. • Practice Social Distancing - Do maintain a distance of at least six (6) feet away from people you don’t live with. • Do bring and use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Anyone unable to safely use hand sanitizer should not use the playground equipment. • Do wear a cloth face covering. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on children under age 2 or anyone with problems breathing. Signage is posted at each playground to encourage appropriate public health practices.
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PHASE 3 OPENING (JULY & AUGUST, 2020) Picnic Shelters/Permits
During Phase 3 & 4 the GNPD will begin bringing back seasonal staff as activities and programs will increase. This will provide an opportunity for our full-time park staff to resume regular activities to keep the parks and trails well maintained for heavier seasonal usage.
Currently, the Park District is not issuing permits for use of our parks and shelters due to restrictions on social gathers as per NYS Executive Orders. As further guidance is provided from the State we will provide updates to our residents as to when permits will be issued again.
Dog Park The dog park on Colonial Road is scheduled to open on July 1, 2020. All general dog parks rules still apply including the requirement to obtain a “Pooch Pass” in order to use the park. This procedure will now be done online as our indoor facilities will be closed or will have limited access. Once you register online, you will need to email or drop off your dog’s required vaccination records. To limit interaction with our staff and to improve our operations a new key pad lock system has been installed at the entrance gate. Once your documentation and registration have been received you will be provided a passcode to enter the park. For more information visit our website at gnparks.org.
Athletic Fields On June 16, 2020, NYS released its guidelines for sports and recreation. These opening guidelines are scheduled to begin July on 6 and Nassau County will have had to reached Phase three (3) in order for this to take effect in the GNPD region. The guidelines are based on the risk level of the sport ranging in categories of low, moderate, and higher risks. The NYS guidelines can be found in this document in appendix C.
Splash Pads
The following rules have been created for COVID-19:
The GNPD is waiting on further guidance from NYS regarding the operations of splash pads.
• Use the park at your own risk • Keep at least a 6-foot distance from others
Drinking Fountains
• Visit the park at off-peak hours
All drinking fountains will be closed until further notice for the safety and well-being of our residents.
• Sanitize hands before arrival and after using park • Avoid petting other people’s dogs • Stay home if you are sick
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TENNIS
Phase 1 Opening (Prior to Nassau County Phase 1, May 23, 2020)
The GNPD operates and maintains a total of 28 tennis courts over four (4) locations at Allenwood Park, Memorial Field, Kings Point Park and the Parkwood Sport Complex. In addition to our outdoor courts, the GNPD operates four (4) indoor tennis courts at the Parkwood Sports Complex. Year-round tennis programming is provided for all ages including lessons, training, court rental and camps. Pickleball is offered at designated times at Allenwood Park.
In the opening of eight (8) courts at Memorial Field and two (2) courts at Allenwood Park, the GNPD implemented modified rules and regulations as recommended by the US Tennis Association (USTA) to provide a safe playing environment at our facilities. In addition, the GNPD used our new technology to provide mandatory online court reservations in advance of arrival at our tennis courts. This was designed for a controlled playing environment and to protect our employees and patrons. The following are rules in place for outdoor tennis play:
On May 15, 2020, the Governor of New York began to ease some COVID-19 restrictions and permitted the play of outdoor tennis. The GNPD moved swiftly and entered into Phase 1 of our Restarting of Operations Plan and began offering reservations for outdoor tennis courts at Memorial Field and Allenwood Park tennis courts. Following the recommended guidelines of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the New York Forward plan careful consideration was taken in designing new outdoor tennis rules and restrictions for safe play.
1. Do not play if you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days. 2. Players should come to the facility no more than ten (10) minutes before the time expected to play. 3. Doubles play is permitted (all players must have a valid tennis permit); please maintain social distancing. 4. Players should stay on their side of court and avoid changing ends. 5. Players should stay at least six (6) feet apart to maintain social distancing. 6. Alternating courts should be reserved for play; use every second court. 7. Label balls with a permanent marker. Using new balls is highly encouraged. 8. Online court rentals required; no walk-up play. 9. Tennis permit required; no guests permitted. 10. Use your racquet/foot to pick up balls and hit them to your opponent. Avoid using your hands to pick up the balls. 11. If a ball from another court comes to you, send it back with a kick or with your racquet. 12. After playing, all players should leave the facility immediately. No extra-curricular or social activity should take place. 22
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TENNIS Phase 2 Opening (June 13)
the many physical and mental benefits that tennis offers so long as you practice physical distancing by keeping six feet apart from other players to ensure you are in a safe exercise environment and follow other safety recommendations included here.
As the GNPD continued with our reopening of programs, tennis has led the way due to its low risk of contact. Four (4) outdoor tennis courts at Parkwood were opened for rental for private lessons. Advance booking reservation is required and all COVID-19 tennis rules apply.
Although there is no specific evidence that tennis balls can spread COVID-19, we know that contamination by respiratory droplets from an infected person can potentially survive on hard surfaces up to three days. If you choose to play tennis, be sure to practice these safety tips and recommendations.
Playing Tennis Safely: Player Tips and Recommendations The USTA recognizes that the coronavirus has been affecting different parts of the country in different ways and with different timing. We therefore believe it will be possible for people to return to playing tennis safely in some cities and states sooner than in others.
Before You Play • Make sure that your state and region allow tennis play, satisfy the Federal Government’s gating criteria (as outlined in the “Opening Up America Again” guidelines) and has been designated an essential business and/or has entered Phase One of the Phased Comeback.
The Federal Government issued guidelines on April 16 for “Opening Up America Again” at WhiteHouse.gov/OpeningAmerica. By following these guidelines as well as those of local governments and health agencies, facilities and players will be able to make informed decisions as to when play can recommence.
• States and regions with no evidence of a rebound and that satisfy the gating criteria a second time may proceed to Phase Two of the Phased Comeback, in which all individuals, when in public recreation areas, should maximize physical distance from others.
If you live in a community where stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders have been lifted or modified, and if your locality meets the standards in the Federal Guidelines, then tennis, if played properly, can be a great opportunity for you to relieve stress, socialize with others and provide much-needed exercise. Of primary importance is taking every precaution to help keep all participants safe.
• Be aware that although restrictions are eased when your state and region move from Phase One to Phase Two or Phase Three of the Phased Comeback, safety precautions must remain in place until there is a universal vaccine or effective treatment for the coronavirus.
Because tennis does not require any direct person-to-person contact, players can enjoy
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TENNIS • The USTA Medical Advisory Group highly recommends competitive players ease their way back into play prior to competition. Given the layoff from competing, players will be more susceptible to under-training, overuse and other injuries. The USTA strongly recommends at least three weeks of on court and off court conditioning before competition begins.
vulnerable individual can resume public interactions, including playing tennis, but should practice physical distancing.) Preparing to Play Protect against infections: • Wash your hands with soap and water (for 20 seconds or longer), or use a hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available, before going to the court.
• Arrange to play only with family members or others who live in your household or with individuals who are considered to be low risk.
• Clean and wipe down your equipment, including racquets and water bottles. Do not share racquets or any other equipment such as wristbands, grips, hats and towels.
• Do not play if any of you: o
Are exhibiting any symptoms of the coronavirus. According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported—ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.
o
Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
o
Are a vulnerable individual and your state and region is in Phase One or Phase Two. A vulnerable individual is an elderly individual and/or an individual with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and those whose immune system is compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions requiring such therapy. (For states and regions in Phase Three, a
• Bring a full water bottle to avoid touching a tap or water fountain handle. • Use new balls and a new grip, if possible. • When not actively playing, please adhere to all proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and facemask protocols. • If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve. • Arrive as close as possible to when you need to be there. • Avoid touching court gates, fences, benches, etc., if you can. When Playing • Try to stay at least six feet apart from other players. Do not make physical contact with them (such as shaking hands or a high five). • When playing doubles, coordinate with your partner to maintain physical distancing. Continued on page 25… 24
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TENNIS • Avoid touching your face after handling a ball, racquet or other equipment. Wash your hands promptly if you have touched your eyes, nose or mouth.
Use Four Balls Or Six Balls Although unlikely, it’s possible that a tennis ball can transmit the COVID-19 virus, as virtually any hard surface can transmit the disease. So here is an extra precaution you can take to keep safe when playing tennis:
• Avoid sharing food, drinks or towels. • Use your racquet/foot to pick up balls and hit them to your opponent. Avoid using your hands to pick up the balls.
• Open two cans of tennis balls that do not share the same number on the ball.
• Maintain physical distancing if changing ends of the court.
• Take one set of numbered balls, and have your playing partner take a set of balls from the other can.
• Remain apart from other players when taking a break.
• Proceed with play, making sure to pick up your set of numbered balls only. Should a ball with the other number wind up on your side of the court, do not touch the ball with your hands. Use your racquet head or feet to advance the ball to the other side of the court.
• If a ball from another court comes to you, send it back with a kick or with your racquet. After Playing • Leave the court as soon as reasonably possible.
Additional Resources
• Wash your hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer after coming off the court.
https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/2020pdfs/USTA_COVID19_PlayingTennisSafely-Flyer. pdf
• Do not use the locker room or changing area. Shower at home. • No extra-curricular or social activity should take place. No congregation after playing. • All players should leave the facility immediately after play.
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CAMPS Enhanced Health/Safety Precautions
During the summer months, the GNPD provides a number of summer camp options for the community ranging from our traditional Camp Parkwood to specialty camps such as tennis and sailing. Camp Parkwood was established in 2005 and since that time has specialized in providing safe summer activities for over 500 individual campers each summer. In addition, Camp Parkwood employs an average of 150 seasonal employees with 67% of the employees being Great Neck residents. All operating expenses for Camp Parkwood and nearly all other specialty camps are completely covered by user fees.
Although Governor Cuomo permitted for summer camps to begin on June 29th, due to a lack of guidance from NYS and the Board of Health pertaining to camp operations and regulations, all registrations for the 2020 Summer Camp were halted in late March. Since guidance has now been provided from NYS we have created modified camp programs that will begin July 13th and are created with an emphasis on maximum health and safety for all participants and staff members. All camp types will emphasis fresh air and active play.
As with other GNPD programs and services provided to the Great Neck community, the goal of this plan is to provide guidance on how the GNPD can offer modified camps with enhanced health and safety expectations due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Important Modifications and Changes for Camp Parkwood 2020 • Staggered Arrival and Departure Time • Three camp site locations • No off-site trips
Determining Factors for Providing Camp
• No Minis Group (Ages 3-4)
• Guidance from New York State.
• No Tween Travel
• Ability to assure health and safety of participants and staff. o
o
• NO Leader in Training (LIT) Groups • No Door-to Door Busing
Staffing adequate for enrollment and current conditions
• Limited busing during camp. Busing will only be used to transport campers to and from Parkwood Pool facility for swimming. No camper will be on a bus more than twice per day in order to swim at the Parkwood Pool.
Material acquisition of PPE, cleaning supplies, and other necessary items.
• Financial impact of ability to offer programs essential to the community and mitigate costs
• No Outside Vendors including food service. Campers must bring their own lunch, and must be nut free) • Less activity periods with more time in between to allow staff to sanitize. • Modified activities 26
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CAMPS 1. Camp Parkwood previously operated as one camp providing services for campers pre K through 8th grade. For the summer of 2020 Camp Parkwood will now be offered as three (3) individual separate camps to be hosted at three separate park sites as follows:
3. GNPD will increase staff awareness of communicable disease procedures through required training offerings and enhanced procedures. a. Staff will be issued Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for use during camp, including a mask to wear as part of the daily staff uniform.
• Camp Parkwood at Steppingstone Park (Ages 4 & 5) • Camp Parkwood at Allenwood Park (1st & 2nd grades)
b. See above for information in Return to Work Guidelines on Staff Daily Health screening procedures.
• Camp Parkwood at Kings Point Park (3rd to 5th grades)
4. All camps will put a communicable disease action plan into place.
These three camp sites will never interact with each other and will operate separately based on age/grade.
A. Camps will offer modified check in/check out procedures to parents/guardians. Camper temperature will be checked by staff at check in daily using noncontact forehead infrared thermometers.
2. Camp Parkwood will be offered with a limited enrollment capacity. a. Each camp site will have a maximum camper limit of 80 campers.
• Campers will be greeted each morning by a staff member who will ask the parent/guardian if the child has had a cough, fever or shortness of breath in the last 72 hours. If the answer is yes, the camper will NOT be allowed to attend camp until they have been symptom free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
b. Campers will be assigned to groups of 10 campers, not to interact amongst other camp groups. c. A staff-to-camper ratio of 1:5 will be established in each group with the same staff at each respective location.
• The staff member will take each child’s temperature at arrival of camp. If the camper’s temperature is above 100.0F, they will be sent home and will not be allowed to return until at least 72 hours have passed without symptoms and without the use of fever reducing medications. Continued on page 30… 27
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CAMPS • If a temporal scan indicates temperature above 100.0F, parent/guardian will be asked to pull vehicle out of check-in carpool line and given option for staff to provide secondary standard thermometer temperature reading. If second reading registers over 100.0F, the camper will NOT be allowed to attend camp until they have been symptom free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
6. Parents/guardians and other visitors will not be permitted in summer camp areas or facilities. This includes unauthorized GNPD employees. a. Park sites will be open to the public, however Camp Parkwood will have private use of areas during activities and operations. These programs areas will be separate from the public and reserved for Camp Parkwood use only.
• If child with indicated temperature over 100.0F and has siblings enrolled in camp, then sibling will also not be permitted to attend for indicated time parameters listed above.
7. Staff will engage in enhanced cleaning efforts during the camp day. a. Everything that was touched by campers and staff during the day will be sanitized in the evening and ready for the next morning.
• While checking camper temperatures, staff will be required to wear the following PPE: face mask, gown, and gloves to be changed upon contact with any individual.
• Staff will wear the following PPE while performing cleaning procedures: masks and gloves. • Routinely clean, sanitize, and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched, especially equipment and games. This may also include cleaning objects/surfaces not ordinarily cleaned daily such as doorknobs, light switches, classroom sink handles, countertops, chairs, and cubbies.
4. Curbside parent/guardian check in/out services will be implemented at all sites between the first and last hour of camp operation. Parents/ guardians who intend to drop their child off at camp outside of these designated times will be asked to call ahead to the site cell phone to make a check in/out appointment. A standard 8.5” x11” paper bearing the names of all campers should be displayed for staff to see at check in/out.
• Routinely disinfect commonly used surfaces such as keyboards, desks, and remote controls can be wiped down before use.
a. If parent/guardian and staff have difficulty transitioning camper from vehicle to camp facility, family may be asked to pull out of line and park their vehicle until camper is ready to join camp group.
• All cleaning materials should be kept secure and out of reach of children. Cleaning products should not be used near children, and staff should ensure that there is adequate ventilation when using these products to prevent children from inhaling toxic fumes.
5. Campers and staff will be instructed to wash hands or use hand sanitizer prior to entering any GNPD facilities, including upon arrival at camp.
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CAMPS • Supplies that cannot be cleaned and sanitized should not be used.
10. During lunch/snack, campers will stay with their pods to eat. Each camper will be supervised with hand washing before they eat as well as after eating. Staff will also wash their hands with the campers. Campers will eat their lunch/snack outside “picnic-style”. Staff will wear gloves to assist campers with lunch/snack items.
• Supplies that children have placed in their mouths or that are otherwise contaminated by body secretions or excretions should be set aside until they are cleaned by hand by a person wearing gloves. • Do not share supplies with other groups of within the facility, unless they are washed and sanitized before being moved from one group to the other.
11. Campers will not be permitted to bring any items from home with the exception of a packed and labeled lunch/snack and labeled water bottle. Any other items will be confiscated by staff and returned to parent/guardian at check out.
• Set aside supplies that need to be cleaned. Place in a separate container marked for “soiled supplies.” Try to have enough supplies so that the items can be rotated through cleanings.
12. Drinking fountains will not be permitted for use at camp facilities with the exception of potential staff use to refill water bottles. Campers are encouraged to bring a labeled bottle for water to camp each day.
9. If GNPD becomes aware that a camp participant or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 and has recently visited or worked at a respective camp, the individual camp will be closed for deep cleaning.
a. GNPD will keep a stock of bottled water for those campers that may forget their water bottle.
a. The families of all campers will be notified within 24 hours of the COVID-19 closure via email. Email to all affected families will detail the length of facility closure for local contractor to deep clean the respective space. Facility closure may last anywhere between 1-5 scheduled camp days.
13. Campers will self-apply camp-provided sunscreen with the guidance of staff prior to participating in outdoor activities. We recommend that parents/guardians apply a base layer of sunscreen in the mornings prior to check in. If the camper is not permitted to apply sunscreen and/ or has allergies to sunscreen, please alert staff prior to check in the first day of camp.
b. Contact tracing will be conducted in coordination with the Nassau County Health Department.
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CAMPS 14. Hand sanitizing stations will be located and placed around activity and lunch areas. Campers will be asked to wash hands a few extra times during the day. Hand washing steps will be placed on the walls in the bathrooms for campers to follow as well as a fun song to sing while washing for those 20 seconds.
a. Procedures will be put in place to ensure that only one camp group is travelling to identified locations (restrooms, outdoor space, etc.) at a time to help keep distance from one another. b. Just as campers will be kept separated, so will the staff serving those children; the same staff will facilitate the same respective camp location. Staff will not move from one facility to another without approval from the Camp Parkwood Directors.
15. Staff will monitor their group of children looking for signs of illness and will notify the appropriate personnel if a child develops a constant cough, shortness of breath or appears to have a fever. Parent/guardian may be called for immediate pick-up, and child may be prohibited from attending camp until fever free for 72 hours. Prompt pickup is expected in this situation, and lack of promptness or communication may result in suspension from attendance in camp programs.
17. Parents/guardians are our best defense against the spread of viruses at camp. In order to operate under the current circumstances every effort will be made to educate parents/guardians to ensure that children are not sent to camp sick. 18. As noted earlier in this document, staff will also be monitored, asked, and sent home if sick. Please note this could result in last-minute program cancellation or calls for early camp check out and/or late check in.
a. GNPD will provide a designated isolation room at each camp location or those campers that become ill. b. Staff will isolate the camper from everyone until the parent/guardian arrives as well as sanitize everything the ill camper touched immediately.
19. Camps will prominently display educational content, proper hygiene posters, and hand washing instructions that are child-friendly.
c. Staff will monitor coughing and sneezing and will be trained to require campers to immediately wash hands if caught doing so. Additionally, staff will work to educated participants to cough and sneeze into their elbows.
20. Bussing will be provided solely for access to the Parkwood Pool facility. Swim lessons and free swim will take place in the morning sessions only. • When riding on the bus all campers, staff, and driver will be required to wear a mask at all times.
16. To ensure no “cross-program” participation, campers will be dedicated to a single group at a given camp location. All groups will be kept separate and will not intermingle with one another.
• All campers, staff, and driver will remain 6ft apart at all times. Continued on page 33… 30
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CAMPS • Campers will be assigned one per seat.
Financial
• No group will be on a bus more than twice. Tots groups will be on the bus one time per day while all other groups we be on the bus two (2) times per day.
1. A full refund will be given with no penalties for parent/guardian that had already registered for Camp Parkwood prior to COVID19. 2. A full refund will be given for those campers registered Week 1, 2, & 8 as those weeks will not be offered this season.
Enrollment/Addressing Capacity Issues
3. The GNPD will issue a full refund if it cancels a camp prior to start date or a prorated refund if canceled during the season.
GNPD will operate at a reduced enrollment capacity. While during a typical summer, Camp Parkwood would average around 275 campers per week at one site. This summer, we will only offer 80 maximum weekly spots per site due to COVID19. Each site will be at a 30% capacity compared to regular camp operations of the past.
4. Financial Aid will not be offered this season due to the limited capacity of Camp Parkwood sites.
Behavior Management Campers must be able to successfully participate with program changes necessary for increased health and safety of other campers and staff. Parents know their child best and know their child’s level of tolerance as far as expectations in a group of children and changes to routine. Camps this summer will look different in structure vs previous summers.
Eligibility + Enrollment Priority Actively enrolled Camp Parkwood campers will be guaranteed their placement however, their final camp payment must be made in full by June 29, 2020. a. Top Priority: essential GNPD employee who needs childcare to work in Camp division.
For children who tend to flee from program spaces, show defiance when an adult gives a command (e.g. please wash hands, transition from space, etc), or are very physical with other children in an aggressive way, this might not be the right camp set-up for these campers. While we have always done our best to accommodate a wide range of camper behaviors and personalities, the structure we are working in this summer may not allow for much leniency with these types of behaviors. With that being stated, age appropriate behavior challenges are to be expected, and our staff are well-trained to assist in these types of situations.
b. 2nd Priority: Campers who enrolled in our Camp Parkwood “interested list” will have the first opportunity to register until June 29, 2020. A full five week commitment is require in order to register. c. 3rd Priority: Open registration of the full five weeks of Camp Parkwood. Registration will begin June 30th. d. 4th Priority: If any spots remain available the GNPD may consider allowing registration of individual camp weeks. A decision will be made upon review current capacity after July 6th. 31
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CAMPS Staffing Considerations
Instructional Swim/Free Swim
Staff will be trained in enhanced health safety procedures prior to starting on-site at camp location. Training will include, but is not limited to:
All camp groups will receive a swim lesson and free swim each day weather permitting. For the 2020 Camp Parkwood season all swim instructors will be provided by URSwim. URSwim employees will receive COVID-19 in service training reflecting the guidelines in place by the GNPD. Additionally, URSwim will have specific training for staff members pertaining to COVID-19 procedures. Training will be reviewed throughout the season to maximize compliance and will be overseen by Camp Parkwood staff.
• New health and safety procedures • What and how to clean/disinfect/sanitize • Daily self-health assessment upon clock-in for shift • Use of PPE (what, when, how) • How to identify potentially ill campers
• As per the CDC, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through properly sanitized water used in pools, or water playgrounds. Proper operation and disinfection of pools, and water playgrounds will kill the virus that causes COVID-19.
Medical Staff • We will have (1) on-site Registered Nurse and a minimum of (3) Certified EMT’s at all times i.e. Steppingstone, Allenwood, Kings Point Park
• Swim provider will wear water-resistance face masks/coverings when providing swim lessons and interacting with campers, guests and staff
Camp Supervisors 4. We will have 3 Certified Teachers/Camp Supervisors that will be the onsite supervisor at each camp location, in addition with the camp counselors hired for groups
o
Swimmers should NOT wear any face masks/coverings while in the pool.
• Camp groups will receive distance swim instruction to a minimum of 6 feet or more apart in the pool.
Camp Director & Assistant Director 5. Camp Director and Assistant Camp Director will travel to and from site locations on a daily basis.
• Maintain the same instructor(s) for camp groups as possible. • Swim provider will have a dedicated supervisor as COVID-19 liaison that will be responsible for staying up to date on community and state recommendations and any associated changes.
Counselors 6. For every 10 campers we plan on having a minimum of 2 Counselors for each group for a 1 to 5 staff to camper ratio. One group leader, and one counselor. Tots Age group, will be provided additional support staff.
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CAMPS Additional Resources
• There will be a limited number of campers in the pool area via staggered group swim instruction/ free swim times.
https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/ coronavirus-information-camps
• Use of the entire Parkwood Pool will be provided to promote social distancing between group swim instruction. i.e. encourage scheduling that allows both group instruction in the shallow end and the deep end.
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor. ny.gov/files/atoms/files/Childcare_and_Summer_ Camps_Summary.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ community/schools-childcare/summer-camps. html
• Each Camp Site i.e. Steppingstone, Allenwood, and Kings Point Park, will attend the pool separately during the hours of 9 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ community/schools-childcare/Camps-DecisionTree.pdf
• All campers will be supplied one clean towel. No sharing of towels between campers will be permitted.
https://acacamps.app.box.com/s/7gkh9buu3ntss x2v38gajg4z94631lag
YOUTH PROGRAMS AND CAMPS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC The purpose of this tool is to assist directors or administrators in making (re)opening decisions regarding youth programs and camps during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to check with state and local health officials and other partners to determine the most appropriate actions while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community.
Are recommended health and safety actions in place?
Should you consider opening? ✓ Will reopening be consistent with applicable state and local orders?
✓ Promote healthy hygiene practices such as hand washing and employees wearing a cloth face covering, as feasible
✓ Are you ready to protect children and employees at higher risk for severe illness?
✓ Intensify cleaning, disinfection, and ventilation of facilities and transport vehicles/buses
✓ Are you able to screen children and employees upon arrival for symptoms and history of exposure? ANY
ALL
Is ongoing monitoring in place? ✓ Develop and implement procedures to check for signs and symptoms in children and employees daily upon arrival, as feasible
ALL
✓ Encourage social distancing through increased spacing, small groups, and limited mixing between groups, and staggered scheduling, arrival, and drop off, if feasible
✓ Encourage anyone who is sick to stay home
OPEN AND MONITOR
✓ Plan for if children or employees get sick ✓ Regularly communicate and monitor developments with local authorities, employees, and families regarding cases, exposures, and updates to policies and procedures
✓ Where feasible, adjust activities and procedures to limit sharing of items such as toys, belongings, supplies, and equipment
✓ Monitor child and employee absences and have a pool of trained substitutes, and flexible leave policies and practices
✓ Train all employees on health and safety protocols
DO NOT OPEN
✓ If feasible, implement enhanced screening for children and employees who have recently been present in areas of high ALL transmission, including temperature checks and symptom monitoring
✓ Be ready to consult with the local health authorities if there are cases in the facility or an increase in cases in the local area
ANY
ANY
MEET SAFEGUARDS FIRST
MEET SAFEGUARDS FIRST
cdc.gov/coronavirus
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
PARKWOOD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER The Parkwood Family Aquatic Center (PFAC), continues to be the social center for Great Neck Park District residents during the summer months. In 2019, the PFAC serviced over 6,300 members, including over 1,000 family, 226 individual, and 775 senior memberships. During the 2019 season, there were over 64,000 visitors scanned into the PFAC from May 25 through September 14 not including guests.
• Occupancy of the premises and pool should be limited to the number of individuals and groups who can be safely and appropriately spaced such that each individual and group is at least six feet away from others. • Ensure different groups of people are separated by at least six feet on the premises or in the water, to the extent possible; • Provide supplies for proper hand and respiratory hygiene, including soap, running water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where handwashing facilities may not be available or practical; and tissues and trash receptacles;
The COVID-19 public health emergency created uncertainty as to the availability of PFAC this summer. Fortunately, on June 11th, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that pools were permitted to open in New York and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) released Interim Guidance for Pools and Recreational Aquatic Spray Grounds during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (attached appendix F). Therefore the PFAC will be permitted to operate during the COVID-19 public health emergency so long as the GNPD adheres to applicable Executive Orders and the following DOH restrictions:
• Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols, in compliance with all cleaning and disinfection procedures from DOH, particularly cleaning and disinfection of high touch areas, including railings, lockers, and chairs, and maintaining logs on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection;
• Ensure that all individuals maintain a distance of at least six feet from other individuals at all times, unless they are members of the same household or family unit;
• Affix social distancing markers using tape or signs that denote six feet of spacing in commonly used and other applicable areas on the site (e.g. entrances, exits).
• Ensure face coverings are not worn by individuals while they are in the water;
In addition to DOH guidelines, the GNPD used a number of resources to develop enhanced health and safety precautions to operate the PFAC this summer. Resources used were CDC healthy swimming and considerations for public pools during COVID-19, Pool and Hot Tub Alliance, and other local governments for best practices.
• Limit the maximum size of any single group of people on the premises or in the water to 10 individuals;
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
PARKWOOD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER The GNPD has created the following procedures and rules to assure health and safety of patrons and staff:
Season/Fees The modified 2020 PFAC season is scheduled to operate from July 3rd to September 12th. As in the past, there will be a reduction in operating hours in September. The GNPD reserves the right to modify hours and operations based on staffing availability.
Capacity The PFAC will be operating at 50% of our pool capacity to allow our staff to properly monitor the facility and to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. We will be permitting a maximum of 400 members per scheduled session.
The PFAC will be for members only this season. No guests will be permitted as per the recommendation of the CDC to limit usage to individuals who live in the same area. All membership fees will be based on our regular season rates with a 30% reduction due to our delayed opening this season. Fees are as follows:
Operating Hours/Reservations A reservation will be required of all PFAC members in order to enter the facility. This will allow for tracking of all patrons in case of COVID-19 exposure and for contact tracing. The PFAC will have three available sessions, of three (3) hours each. Each session must be reserved in advance through our online reservation system. The session times are as follows:
• Family Membership: $300 • Family of 2: $240 • Individual: $170 • Senior: $100 • Disabled Individual: $100
Session 1: 9 AM to 12 noon
Disinfecting/cleaning: 12 noon to 1 PM
Session 2: 1 PM to 4 PM
Seating
Disinfecting/cleaning: 4 PM to 5 PM
Session 3: 5 PM to 8 PM
All members are required to maintain at least 6ft of social distancing from all other members (except their own family members) at the PFAC. Chaise lounge chairs will be placed 6ft apart and marked in designated areas. Chaise lounge chairs must remain in their marked area and cannot be moved for any reason. There will be a reduction of chairs this season due to social distancing requirements.
• Nanny/Caregiver: $145
PFAC members are required to leave the PFAC after their reserved session has ended. Between sessions, the GNPD staff will disinfect/clean the facility and prepare for the transition of sessions. Reservations for sessions may be made up to one week in advance. If the pool closes for rain or any other reason the session and the reservation will not be made up. Additionally, certain sessions may be designated for specific membership holders (e.g., adults only).
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PARKWOOD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER • If a member with a temperature reading of above 100.0F has a family membership, then each family member will also NOT be permitted to enter the PFAC for indicated time parameters listed above.
Health Screenings Each member will receive a health screening prior to entering the PFAC. This will be done in two designated screening areas. Once the member passes the health screening, the member will be checked into the PFAC.
• While checking member temperatures, staff will be required to wear the following PPE: face mask and gloves to be changed upon contact with any individual.
The health screening will consist of temperature reading using noncontact forehead infrared thermometers. Procedures of health screening are as follows:
Additional PFAC Modifications for Enhanced Health/Safety Precautions
• Member will be greeted at one of our two designated health screening zones by a staff member who will ask each member if the member has a cough, fever or shortness of breath in the last 72 hours. If the answer is yes, the member will NOT be allowed to enter the PFAC until the member has been symptom free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
• Face covering is required to enter the PFAC. • Face covering must be worn when 6ft of social distancing cannot be maintained. • Face covering may NOT be worn in the water. • Face covering is required to be worn when entering restroom/locker room areas.
• A staff member will take each member’s temperature before the member is permitted access to the main PFAC entrance. If the member’s temperature is above 100.0F, the member will be sent home and will not be allowed to return until at least 72 hours have passed without symptoms and without the use of fever reducing medications.
• No guests – Due to limited capacity the PFAC will be for members only.
• If a temporal scan indicates temperature above 100.0F, the member will be asked to step out of line and will be given the option for staff to provide secondary standard thermometer temperature reading. If the member elects not to submit to the second reading, or if the second reading registers over 100.0F, then, in either case, the member will NOT be allowed to enter the PFAC until the member has been symptom free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
• Members are encouraged to use credit/debit cards only.
• Showers will NOT be available at this time. • Family groups must be 10 people or less in order to gather. • Drinking fountains will be closed; however, guests may bring personal water bottles.
• Members are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer. • Signage will be posted throughout the PFAC to remind patrons to stay home if they show symptoms of the virus; encouraging proper hygiene; social distancing; and to wear a face covering. 36
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PARKWOOD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER Lifeguards who are actively lifeguarding pools must devote their attention to that function, and so will not be asked to monitor handwashing, use of face mask or other COVID-19 procedures. Additional staff will be designated to monitor the pool deck to ensure patrons and staff are complying with safety and health precautions outlined in this section.
Lazy River/Lap Lanes In addition to reserving your PFAC session for each visit, you will also be required to reserve your spot at the lazy river and lap lanes to ensure staff are able to monitor all safety precautions in place. 1) Lazy River: Will be limited to 60 members per one (1) hour session during walking hours and 30 members per 30 min session during tubing times.
The following are additional modifications to PFAC staff:
2) Lap Lanes: Will be reserved in 30 min blocks and will be for one member per lane.
• Staggering employee use of communal spaces and cleaning/disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily.
Designated Seating Areas
• Staggered or rotating shifts will be in place to limit the number of staff present at the aquatic venue at the same time.
The PFAC will be offering two designated seating areas/zones: 1) High risk individuals/65 years and older section: This area will be roped off as designated for these members only.
• Staff room occupancy will be limited to no more than two (2) employees at any given time. The staff room will be used by lieutenants for phone/ computer purposes. Lifeguards should only use staff room for personal storage/refrigerator usage. Designated lockers will be given to employees to limit shared use.
2) Family/Cabana Area: The PFAC will be offering a limited number of family areas 16 to 18 per session for reservation. Due to the limited availability, advance reservation is required and there will be a fee of $25 per booking. This area will be reserved for members of the same household and can accommodate up to 10 people. Each family area will be 6ft apart from all other members.
• Lifeguards will monitor one section per rotation instead of multiple sections to reduce the amount of touching and cleaning of the lifeguard stands. At the end of each rotation, a maintenance employee will disinfect lifeguard stand while relief guard continues to monitor pool.
Staffing Considerations Staff will be trained in enhanced health safety procedures, training will include, but is not limited to: • New health and safety procedures • What and how to clean/disinfect/sanitize • Daily self-health assessment upon clock-in for shift • Use of PPE (what, when, how)
• Staff will be scheduled into two work groups to limit the amount of interaction. Lifeguards will be scheduled in a morning shift, 8am-2pm, and an afternoon shift, 2pm-8pm.
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PARKWOOD FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER Enhanced Cleaning Plan
FOLLOW THESE 5 SAFETY STEPS
Staff will engage in enhanced cleaning efforts regularly at the PFAC. The GNPD has added one-hour time blocks for deep cleaning twice a day between member sessions when the facility is closed. GNPD will provide onsite cleaning staff during all operation hours that will to continuously monitor and disinfect frequently used surfaces.
to keep us all healthy
• Staff will wear the following PPE while performing cleaning procedures: masks and gloves.
1
STAY HOME IF YOU DON’T FEEL WELL Or if you tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
2
STAY 6 FEET AWAY FROM PEOPLE who don’t live with you, both in and out of the water and avoid sharing items with other people
3
WEAR A CLOTH FACE COVERING when not in the water*
AT LEAST 6 FEET
* Don’t place cloth face coverings on children under age 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, weak, or otherwise unable to remove the cover without help.
• Routinely clean, sanitize, and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched, especially bathrooms, chairs, garbage cans, handrails, door handles, etc. • All cleaning materials should be kept secure and out of reach of members. Cleaning products should not be used near members.
4
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
5
COVER YOUR COUGHS AND SNEEZES with a tissue or your elbow, throw the tissue in the trash, and wash your hands
Now,
let’s swim! cdc.gov/coronavirus
CS 317344-B 06/09/2020
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Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
MARINA One of the beautiful jewels of of the GNPD is the Marina at Steppingstone Park. Marina services provided include mooring service for boat owner, sailing lessons/camp, kayak rentals, and more. The dock is place not only for boat owners but those looking for serenity and to enjoy the beautiful view.
Requirements for boat owners: • Boat owner must wear masks at all times on launch. • Only 1 person can retrieve a boat, no groups permitted on launch boat. • A row boat will be available for boat owners wishing to leave prior to 10 AM or return after 6 PM.
On April 18, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that marinas may open with limitations. Although short staffed at the time, the GNPD staff work quickly and safely to partially open the marina for boaters only over Memorial Day Weekend on May 23rd. Along with tennis, the marina was the first facility open for programing and the following safety procedures were put in place to ensure that our staff and patrons are protected.
• Dedicated parking areas will be provided for boat owners who choose to stay after 6 PM. In addition to enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures put in place as outlined earlier in this document, the launch boat will be sprayed down after each use upon arrival and departure of each boat owner.
Operating hours: Monday thru Sunday, 10 am to 6pm
On busy times we will use 2 whalers to limit the occupancy on the dock to avoid over crowding.
Phase 1 Opening (Prior to Nassau County Phase 1, May 23, 2020)
Phase 3 Opening (July 1st) • Dock will open to public as residential patrons can walk up to the last cove only. The dock area next to the marina staff house will be for boat owners only to allow for proper social distancing.
• No ice will be supplied to boat owners. • No water access/fountain. • Dock viewer not accessible. • No fishing permitted.
• Face sovereigns will be required on the dock.
• Dock open to boat owners only, no patrons permitted until after 6 PM.
• Two additional floats will be installs. • Programs and rentals will be offered. • There will be a 10-person limit for fishing on the float. • Limit occupancy on floats.
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APPENDIX A: SELF-HEALTH CHECK PROCESS
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SELF-HEALTH FLOW CHART If feeling ill, do not come to work.
Designated Screening Locations • Parkwood Sports Complex • Administration Building • Steppingstone Park
Take health screen (see designated locations)
• Kings Point Park • Great Neck House • Memorial Field
• Fever of 100 degrees or higher • Cough
• Allenwood Park
• Shortness of breath
• Cuttermill Park
• Sore throat • Vomit/Diarrhea
You have symptoms.
You are not showing symptoms!
Notify Supervisor and go home.
Go to work.
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APPENDIX B: FAMILY FIRST CORONAVIRUS ACT (FFCRA)
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EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
PAID SICK LEAVE AND EXPANDED FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE UNDER THE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. ►
PAID LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS
Generally, employers covered under the Act must provide employees: Up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave based on the higher of their regular rate of pay, or the applicable state or Federal minimum wage, paid at: • 100% for qualifying reasons #1-3 below, up to $511 daily and $5,110 total; • 2/3 for qualifying reasons #4 and 6 below, up to $200 daily and $2,000 total; and • Up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 for qualifying reason #5 below for up to $200 daily and $12,000 total. A part-time employee is eligible for leave for the number of hours that the employee is normally scheduled to work over that period. ►
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
In general, employees of private sector employers with fewer than 500 employees, and certain public sector employers, are eligible for up to two weeks of fully or partially paid sick leave for COVID-19 related reasons (see below). Employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible for up to an additional 10 weeks of partially paid expanded family and medical leave for reason #5 below. ►
QUALIFYING REASONS FOR LEAVE RELATED TO COVID-19
An employee is entitled to take leave related to COVID-19 if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because the employee: 1. is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19; 2. has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19; 3. is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
5. is caring for his or her child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons; or 6. is experiencing any other substantially-similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
4. is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2); ►
ENFORCEMENT
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has the authority to investigate and enforce compliance with the FFCRA. Employers may not discharge, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against any employee who lawfully takes paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the FFCRA, files a complaint, or institutes a proceeding under or related to this Act. Employers in violation of the provisions of the FFCRA will be subject to penalties and enforcement by WHD. WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
For additional information or to file a complaint:
1-866-487-9243 TTY: 1-877-889-5627 dol.gov/agencies/whd WH1422 REV 03/20
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APPENDIX C: NEW YORK FORWARD PLAN
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A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
MAY 2020
A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
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A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
MAY 2020
A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
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CONTENTS A Message from Governor Cuomo What COVID-19 taught us about New York, and what we have to do next..................................................................................................5
Part I: A Global Pandemic – Actions Taken and Lessons Learned The strategies and best practices of New York’s work to combat and contain COVID-19 that will now guide the state’s efforts to rebuild.......13
Part II: New York Forward The data-driven strategy to gradually and safely re-open New York...43
Part III: Leadership How to effectively lead a community out of mitigation and into a new phase of recovery..............................................................................61
Part IV: Individual Responsibility What the public needs to do every day to prevent a second COVID-19 wave from hitting New York...........................................................75
Part V: Build Back Better Our opportunity to not just return to normal, but reimagine and rebuild New York even better than before.............................................81
Post-Script: Excelsior The expertise and competence we owe our state and our fellow New Yorkers................................................................................................95
Appendix............................................................................................................99
A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
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A Message from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
A GUIDE TO REOPENING NEW YORK & BUILDING BACK BETTER
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I
n my nine years as Governor of the great State of New York, we’ve seen major storms like Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Lee, and Superstorm Sandy. We’ve seen homes
washed away by flooding along Lake Ontario and record snowfall in Buffalo. But the invisible spread of COVID-19 is like no challenge we’ve ever dealt with before. The first official case of COVID-19 in New York was confirmed on March 1, 2020. At the time, there were only 85 confirmed COVID cases across the entire United States. The economic and social health of New York – the fairest, safest, and most resilient big state in the country – had never been stronger. Ideas like social distancing and contact tracing were just theories whose effectiveness against future diseases was debated in scientific journals.
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To say the pandemic turned our lives upside down over the more than two months since would be an extraordinary understatement. At the time of this writing, more than 300,000 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with COVID-19, out of nearly 1.3 million Americans in all – a number that continues to rise in other parts of the nation. Tens of millions of people have been isolated in their homes for weeks on end. Businesses, schools, and services across the state have shut down, or fully transitioned to digital platforms. Most employees in New York are working from their homes, and many are not working at all. But during one of the darkest, hardest moments of our history, I’ve also seen New York at her best.
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WE MUST MAKE REOPENING DECISIONS BASED ON FACT. NO POLITICS. NO SPIN. NO EMOTION. NO CONSPIRACIES. JUST THE FACTS AND THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE. – GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 4/2/2020
Doctors and nurses are putting in 100-hour (or more) weeks, saving lives even as they put their own at risk. Transit workers are sanitizing every subway car and every bus every single night, so that essential workers can safely get where they are needed. Frontline workers like firefighters, EMTs, police officers, bus drivers, grocery store workers, and janitors are being treated as the heroes they are, applauded, literally, by strangers at 7:00 p.m. every night. In mid-March, we asked retired and inactive healthcare professionals from across the state and country to come support New York. Nearly 100,000 healthcare workers answered the call, coming out of retirement and volunteering to go back to work, flying from the other side of the country or getting in their cars and driving hundreds of miles to pitch in when we needed it most. More than one million New Yorkers have been tested for COVID-19, more per capita than any major state or country on the globe, helping us identify hotspots, isolate outbreaks, and stop the spread. And that’s despite the fact that, at the onset of this crisis, the State was entirely reliant on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct diagnostic testing – a multi-day process from test
8
to result that proved wholly inadequate to meet the challenge of this crisis. So on February 29th, New York State secured federal approval to conduct our own tests, and set an ambitious, nation-leading target of conducting 1,000 tests per day. Within one month, we were testing more than 20,000 people every day. This was a herculean task, scaling up from zero to over one million in just two months. And millions of New Yorkers have done their part, too. They’ve stayed home, keeping themselves and their loved ones safe. They’ve washed their hands, worn masks and gloves, and checked in on their neighbors. And despite the fear and anxiety that underlies every moment of this crisis, they’ve kept their faith in each other – no small miracle itself. Together, we’ve done the hard work of successfully flattening the curve – so far. The data indicates that, as of today, we’re past the very worst of this crisis. But by no means are we out of the woods yet. History shows us the deadly consequences of hasty, hurried re-openings. As the first wave of the 1918 influenza epidemic hit America, cities across the country shut down public gatherings, implemented strict isolation protocols, and required people to wear masks in public. After 10 weeks, the country’s mortality rate began dropping. However, some cities and states quickly ended their restrictions, just as the curve began flattening, thinking the danger was over. But others, including New York, kept most of the measures in place for weeks after deaths began measurably declining.
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What happened? The cities that relaxed their restrictions early were hit with a sharp resurgence of the flu – and in some cases, saw death rates even higher than during the previous wave. But when the resurgence came to New York, where restrictions hadn’t been loosened until the mortality rate was near-zero, the death rate stayed low – lower, in fact, than anywhere else on the eastern seaboard. George Santayana said that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We’re already seeing that play out during the COVID-19 pandemic – places that reopened too soon have seen the virus reemerge. We can’t make that mistake in New York. As we begin the process of “un-pausing”, restarting our economy and bringing our state into a new normal, our decisions and actions must be guided by science and facts, not politics or opinions. This report charts a course for New York to follow, setting a regional approach – one we can adjust, based on data we’ll continually monitor – designed to open as many parts of the state as possible, for as many people as possible, as soon as it is demonstrably safe to do so. The COVID-19 pandemic presented us with an unprecedented challenge. And yet, like all challenges, from the Great Depression to 9/11 to hurricanes like Sandy and Irene, it’s also an unprecedented opportunity, if we choose to seize it.
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It’s a moment to rethink our most basic assumptions about the role of government and the security it provides its constituents – all of them. It’s a chance to address both surface and systemic problems with resources equal to the task. It’s an opportunity to not just build back, but build back better – smarter, tougher, more resilient, and more equal. The road ahead of us might seem daunting, but so was the scale of what we needed to build from the ground up at the dawn of this crisis. The totality of our initial response to the outbreak – the things we did by working together – were unimaginable just two months ago. New Yorkers have proven what they are capable of. They have proven themselves to be New York Tough – and tough enough to be smart, united, disciplined, and loving. By harnessing that same effort and courage, our state can emerge from this crisis stronger than ever. Here’s how we’re going to do it.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo May 2020
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I: A Global Pandemic
Actions Taken and Lessons Learned
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T
hough New York’s public health infrastructure had been tested before, when diseases like Zika, Ebola, avian influenza, and H1N1 influenza threatened our
state, the scale, force, and speed with which COVID-19 hit us was unlike anything we’ve seen in generations. In the 70-plus days since the virus was first confirmed to have reached New York, we’ve learned a great deal, both about the virus, and about how to best contain and combat it. The actions we took will inform our next steps, because the guiding approach of our initial recovery must be continued monitoring and controlling of the virus, constantly guided by data and science. We can’t recover if we start regressing.
THE STATE MUST LEAD On March 3, New York State passed legislation providing an emergency appropriation of $40 million dollars and authorizing emergency management measures, which together allowed the State government to swiftly respond to the crisis.1 At a time of debilitating gridlock in Washington, the emergency measures demonstrated that our Legislature understood the urgency of the situation and the need for action.
1. Press Release, “During Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Signs $40 Million Emergency Management Authorization for Coronavirus Response.” March 3, 2020. www.governor.ny.gov/news/during-coronavirus-briefinggovernor-cuomo-signs-40-million-emergency-management-authorization.
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LOOK AT THE DATA. FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS. BE SMART.
– GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO , 5/5/2020
Competent, effective government is critical in any crisis. The emergency management authorization provided crucial flexibility to the New York State government as it entered the uncharted territory of a global pandemic, and it proved essential to the State’s swift response. It empowered the Executive Branch to immediately swing into action and procure the resources the State needed to respond to the evolving situation, from building the necessary staffing, to spearheading response efforts, to ramping up testing capabilities faster than any other state in the country. In passing the emergency legislation, the Legislature sent a clear message to New Yorkers that their government had their back, and stood ready to help tackle whatever challenges lay ahead.
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WE CAN SLOW THE SPREAD The funding appropriated and the powers granted to the Executive Branch at the outset of the crisis allowed all levels of government to act, quickly and comprehensively, to combat and contain the virus. Viewed in total, these actions prove that we are not helpless against this new enemy. We dramatically reduced the number of New Yorkers who contracted COVID-19 from initial projections. Based on the initial, rapid increase in the number of infections the state saw, the world’s leading epidemiologists and virologists projected a staggering amount of damage. On March 29, a Columbia University team projected a peak of 136,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations
Actual vs projected dai
COVID-19
Total number of COVID-19 hospitalizatio
140,000 130,000 120,000
in New York City alone. McKinsey &
110,000
Company, a consulting firm, projected a
100,000
“severe” scenario with a peak of 110,000
90,000 80,000
COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, and a
70,000
“moderate” scenario with a peak of 55,000
60,000
COVID-19 hospitalizations. A team of global
50,000
health statisticians at the Institute for Health
40,000 30,000
Metrics and Evaluation at the University
20,000
of Washington, in partnership with the Bill
10,000
and Melinda Gates Foundation, projected a peak of 73,000 hospitalizations statewide.
0 03/01
03/08
03/15
1. Scenario curves based on NYS-specific parameters given actu 2. This projection reflects total hospitalization demand for NYC Source: Yang, Kandula, and Shaman. “Eight-week model projection Source: “COVID-19 projections.” Institute for Health Metrics and E
Prelim
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In actuality, to date the number of hospitalizations in New York State peaked on April 12th, at 18,825 total hospitalizations – a fraction, thankfully, of even the most conservative projections. New York is proof that it’s possible to significantly slow the spread of the virus and “bend the curve” – the trajectory of destruction that the virus was on.
ily hospitalization census based on NYS-data
HOSPITALIZATIONS IN NY – PROJECTED VS. ACTUAL
ons1, as of 05/09/2020 Severe stress scenario Moderately severe stress scenario
Actual hospitalizations IHME prediction (as of Apr 1)
Columbia (“As Is” projection for NYC-only as of Mar 292)
~136,000
~110,000
~76,000
~55,000
18,825 7,262 03/22
03/29
04/05
04/12
04/19
04/26
05/03
05/10
05/17
05/24
uals data, plotted against March 15 data; actuals data plotted through May 9, 2020 C and reflects social measures in place as of 3/29 ns of COVID-19 in New York City.” Columbia University. March 29, 2020 Evaluation. April 1, 2020
minary, proprietary, and pre-decisional. Any use of this material without specific permission is strictly prohibited
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NEW YORKERS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE New York succeeded in slowing the spread of the virus through aggressive mitigation measures and widespread public buy-in – the individual choices of millions of New Yorkers. The New York PAUSE (Policies Assuring Uniform Safety for Everyone) plan, including the order that all nonessential workers stay at home provided the critical and
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correct framework for a state government’s response to the pandemic.2 Orders to limit non-essential gatherings, close schools statewide, and shut down in-office work for non-essential employees helped limit COVID-19’s ability to spread throughout the state, and allowed the state to quickly identify emerging hotspots and focus its medical response resources there. The state also implemented “Matilda’s Law” - named for the former First Lady of New York, Matilda Cuomo - to protect our most vulnerable populations, including individuals age 70 and older, those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying illnesses. The measure requires those individuals stay home and limit home visitation to immediate family members or close friends in need of emergency assistance and if necessary to visit such individuals, visitors should get prescreened by taking their temperature. Most important, the past eight weeks have shown the real, life-saving effects of sound, fact-based policies, conveyed clearly and calmly. While directives are only as good as the willingness of our state’s citizens to follow them, if you give them the facts, New Yorkers can be trusted to do the right thing.
2. Press Release, “Governor Cuomo Signs the 'New York State on PAUSE' Executive Order.” March 20, 2020. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-state-pause-executive-order.
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HOSPITAL SYSTEMS MUST COORDINATE There are approximately 200 hospitals across New York State. But prior to this pandemic, these institutions had little history of working together in an organized, strategic, and purposeful fashion – coordination that this crisis demanded to ensure no area or hospital was overwhelmed by COVID patients. To remedy this gap, the State had to create and manage entirely new systems and procedures, virtually overnight. Key to this was engineering a new “Surge & Flex” program, designed to prevent the virus from overwhelming our healthcare network. To build hospital capacity, New York State required hospitals to delay elective procedures and increase their number of beds by at least 50 percent, including by turning single rooms into doubles and freeing meeting rooms and other areas for patient care. The State worked with our partners in the federal government to deploy and stand up temporary hospitals in Downstate hotspots and deploy the US Naval Ship Comfort to New York Harbor, creating thousands of additional beds and bringing staff and resources like ventilators to New York. And we drafted contingency plans with large-scale venue operators,
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hotels, and college dormitory operators to ensure we were prepared for a worst-case scenario, if it came to that. In total, New York went from a 4,160-bed capacity, available to treat patients with severe respiratory illnesses, to a more than 10,000-ICU bed capacity, an increase of 140 percent, and from 53,000 total hospital beds to more than 90,000 in just weeks. Of course, more beds require more staffing, and New York simultaneously took a number of creative steps to increase the bench of qualified personnel to staff this increased capacity. Modifying regulations allowed nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals licensed in other states to practice in New York, and permitted retired professionals who no longer held valid licenses to practice, provided they had not lost their license due to misconduct.
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The state also established a nation-leading web portal to connect professionals willing to serve with hospitals needing immediate help. Ninety-five thousand healthcare workers from New York and across the nation came to our aid when we needed them most – a heroic act of selflessness and bravery that we will never forget. To flex the state’s resources statewide, we convened the Hospital Capacity Coordination Committee, a consortium of the state’s hospital systems to develop and implement a patient-balancing system and execute a program for directing life-saving ventilators and other medical devices to facilities where the demand outweighed the supply. To coordinate this combined effort, a comprehensive data-reporting process was set up, analyzing up-to-date information about the scope and severity of COVID-19 cases across the state in real time, as well as the healthcare network’s capacity to handle these shifting needs. Taken together, the “Surge & Flex” strategy enabled New York to save lives and avoid the type of catastrophic failure of the healthcare system that Italy and other nations experienced.
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THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC HAD (AND HAS) TO BE ADDRESSED The measures New York has taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the state are unprecedented in our lifetimes. Restricting economic activity helped to flatten the curve and prevented innumerable deaths. But it also caused devastating financial hardship for workers, businesses owners, and the state budget. Even as the state acted to prepare to handle its apex of infections, it had to simultaneously address the economic challenges borne by so many. Our top priority was to ensure that families can meet their basic needs. We made an additional $200 million in emergency food assistance available for more than 700,000 low-income households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),3 and waived the seven-day waiting period for workers eligible for unemployment benefits.4 3. Press Release, “Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces New York State is Ramping up Antibody Testing, Critical to Reopening Economy.” April 10, 2020. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemicgovernor-cuomo-announces-new-york-state-ramping-antibody-testing. 4. Press Release, “After Weeks of Demanding Approval, Governor Cuomo Announces FDA Gives New York State Authority to Conduct All COVID-19 Testing at Public and Private Labs.” March 13, 2020. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/after-weeksdemanding-approval-governor-cuomo-announces-fda-gives-new-york-state-authority.
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New York State also launched the Nourish New York Initiative to purchase food and food products from over 2,100 Upstate farms, which were experiencing a collapse in demand and were, in some cases, forced to dump excess milk and produce, and direct it to food banks across the state. This initiative is distributing 2.8 million gallons of milk and 8.2 million gallons of yogurt from local dairy producers, as well as 10.1 million pounds of apples and 10 million pounds of cabbage, to feed over 20,000 New York families. And we partnered with local dairy producers to process excess milk into products like yogurt, cheese, sour cream and cream cheese, and distributed those products to food banks and those in need.5 At the same time, the State took unprecedented steps to prevent New Yorkers from losing their homes due to the pandemic. First, New York State established a moratorium on any residential or commercial evictions until at least June 20, 2020 – later extended to August 20.6 The Department of Financial Services then directed New York State mortgage servicers to provide 90-day mortgage relief to borrowers affected by the pandemic, including waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship, protection from negative reporting to credit bureaus, grace periods for loan modification, elimination of late payment fees and online payment fees, and postponement or suspension of foreclosure proceedings.7
5. NBC New York, “20,000 Families Expected to Receive Food From ‘Nourish New York’ Initiative.” May 7, 2020 www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/20000-families-expected-to-receive-food-from-nourish-new-york-initiative/2407033/. 6. Press Release, “Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Announces Moratorium on COVID-Related Evictions Will Be Extended Until August 20th.” May 7, 2020. www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-announces-moratorium-covid-related-evictions-will. 7. Press Release,” Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Mandating Businesses That Require In-Office Personnel to Decrease InOffice Workforce by 75 Percent.” (March 19,2020) www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-executive-order-mandatingbusinesses-require-office-personnel-decrease
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As the scope of the pandemic became clearer, the Executive Branch proposed and Legislature passed legislation guaranteeing job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined as a result of COVID-19.8 This groundbreaking measure helped ensure that New Yorkers could take care of themselves and their loved ones without jeopardizing their economic security, by relieving the economic pressure too many workers felt to go into work while sick. For the New Yorkers who were laid off or furloughed and needed financial relief, the New York State Department of Labor worked around the clock to process over 1.8 million completed applications for unemployment benefits, and paid out over $6 billion in benefits in less than two months. To accomplish this, the State launched a new, streamlined application for New Yorkers to apply for unemployment insurance, including a new unemployment benefit created especially for the pandemic. The Department of Labor also increased the number of staff handling calls and processing applications from 400 people, working five days a week, to up to 3,100 individuals working seven days a week. Finally, the State worked to make sure every New Yorker got the federal benefits they deserve. The federal CARES Act provided cash payments of up to $2,400 to millions of 8. Press Release, “Governor Cuomo Announces Three-Way Agreement with Legislature on Paid Sick Leave Bill to Provide Immediate Assistance for New Yorkers Impacted By COVID-19.� March 17, 2020.
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Americans. However, payments were not automatically made to people who make below the federal tax filing threshold, meaning hundreds of thousands of the lowest income New Yorkers would not have received their payments unless they provide their information to the IRS. New York State launched an awareness campaign, reached out directly to individuals, and partnered with community organizations to make sure the proper documentation was completed, and families got the support they needed, and were entitled to.9 The state also directed $7.5 million in COVID-19 Business Counseling support to 70 non-profit partners across the state. The funding enabled these organizations to provide small businesses with necessary guidance to secure disaster assistance, such as Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.10 Despite the unparalleled and largely unforeseeable devastation the pandemic wrought on New York’s economy and millions of workers, we made sure that no New Yorker was left out or left behind.
9, Press Release, “Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Directing All NYS Public and Private Labs to Coordinate with State DOH to Prioritize Diagnostic Testing.” April 17, 2020. www.governor.ny.gov/ news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomo-issues-executive-order-directing-all-nys-public.
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TESTING IS CRUCIAL TO STEM THE VIRUS’ TIDE At the outset of this pandemic, New York’s public health professionals, due to the lack of testing, had no comprehensive dataset showing the overall scope of the problem or the prevalence of COVID-19 in specific locations. They had little ability, therefore, to strategically and effectively direct resources to areas with the greatest need. This problem was compounded by the virtual inability to identify infected individuals during the crucial first few days when the virus was spreading. Experts now estimate that more than 10,000 cases were prevalent in New York City in February, before New York’s first case was discovered on March 1, facilitated due to ongoing travel from Europe to New York.11 Public health experts recommend that the most effective way to contain a virus is to test, to identify positive cases; trace and test the contacts of those who test positive; and isolate those infected. 10. Press Release, “Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Moving New York Presidential Primary Election to June 23rd.” March 28, 2020. www.governor.ny.gov/news/amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-governor-cuomoissues-executive-order-moving-new-york. 11. New York Times, “Hidden Outbreaks Spread Through U.S. Cities Far Earlier Than Americans Knew, Estimates Say.” April 23, 2020. www.nytimes.com/2020/04/23/us/coronavirus-early-outbreaks-cities.html.
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TOTAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS BY POPULATION
1.2%
1.7%
2.2%
2.3%
3.5%
6.2%
South Korea
UK
USA
Canada
Italy
New York
But when the threat of COVID-19 first emerged, only the CDC in Atlanta was permitted to test for the virus, and they were able to perform only a very limited number of tests. New York forged ahead. The State Department of Health developed its own testing method, and the State worked to secure approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize DOH to use the test, which was granted on February 29th. After receiving federal authorization, New York developed the most extensive COVID-19 testing operation in the world – in weeks, enabling more than 200 New York State-licensed labs to provide COVID-19 testing. Scaling up testing enabled the state to expand diagnostic testing criteria from just symptomatic New Yorkers to the millions of essential workers on the frontlines, including all first responders, healthcare
28
workers and essential employees, and New Yorkers in the most-impacted zip codes – even those who aren’t symptomatic. This expansion is helping the state quickly identify and isolate when infections occur among those most exposed and vulnerable to the virus. As soon as the FDA granted permission to use the New York State test, the State began constructing more than two dozen drive- and walk-through testing stations, opening the first station in New Rochelle on March 13. This created opportunities for New Yorkers in all corners of the state to get tested and for the State track and contain the spread of the virus. And with private testing facilities now on line, over one million New Yorkers have been tested for COVID-19.
1400000
May 3
INCREASE IN TESTS
1200000
1 million total tests
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
March 2 Goal of 1k tests/day
0 5/ 4/ 20 2
20 20 4/ 27 /
20 20 4/ 20 /
3/ 20 20 4/ 1
0 4/ 6/ 20 2
0
3/ 30 /2 02 0
3/ 23 /2 02
6/ 20 20 3/ 1
3/ 9/ 20 20
3/ 2/ 20 20
0
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To support this testing ramp up, the State enlisted the help of the National Guard to assemble 500,000 testing kits, comprised of a vial, transport media, and cotton swab, and distributed many of these kits to local governments in support of municipal testing efforts. At the same time the state was expanding its ability to run diagnostic tests, the State Department of Health developed one of the nation’s first and most-accurate tests to detect antibodies to the COVID-19 infection in an individual’s blood. This serology test is a critical
NATION'S LARGEST ANTIBODY STUDY RESULTS Regions New York State Overall
Percent Positive
NYC
Percent Positive 19.9% 27.6% 19.2% 17.3% 18.4% 19.2%
Capital District
2.2%
Central New York
1.9%
Finger Lakes
2.6%
Hudson Valley (without Westchester/Rockland)
NYC Overall Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens
3%
Staten Island
Long Island
11.4%
Mohawk Valley
2.7%
30
12%
North Country
1.2%
NYC
19.9%
Southern Tier
2.4%
Westchester/Rockland
13.8%
Western New York
6%
WEIGHTED RESULTS Race Percent Positive Asian 11.1% Black 17.4% Latino/ 25.4% Hispanic Multi/Other 14.4% White 7%
tool in the State’s efforts to understand the scope of infection, potential immunity, and how to design the best strategies to reopen New York. This test enabled the State to launch the nation’s largest antibody random survey – 15,000 samples – conducted at grocery stores and community centers across the state to help determine how many New Yorkers were infected by COVID-19, and to draw the first true map for experts and public health professionals to truly understand the virus’ spread. As the antibody testing was brought to scale, the State tested essential workers on the frontlines of our fight against the pandemic – providing antibody testing for healthcare workers, first responders, transit workers, and members of the New York State Police and New York City Police Department, with more tests scheduled for even more essential and frontline workers. This critical data on the number of New Yorkers in frontline professions who were infected has been a central part of the state’s understanding of what measures are necessary to protect our essential heroes from the virus.
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MAINTAIN STRATEGIC RESERVES OF CRITICAL RESOURCES Since the first day New York began confronting this crisis, the State’s response, like every other state across the country, has been greatly impeded by worldwide shortages of critical medical supplies.
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Early projections from experts indicated New York would need up to 37,000 ventilators. Yet at the outset of the pandemic, the state had fewer than 7,000 on hand. In the absence of federal leadership, New York called on Washington to invoke the Defense Production Act and nationalize production, pursued vendors across the globe, and led the charge to implement strategic coordination of ventilators across New York regions and across the country, bringing ventilators to hotspots where infections had spiked, and then moving the machines to where they were needed next. New York also relied on her friends across the country to share resources as needed. When states like California and Oregon had more ventilators than they needed, they rushed them to New York. And when New York passed its hospitalization apex, and its ventilator capacity exceeded its need, the State returned the favor and sent ventilators on to her friends in New Jersey, Michigan, and Massachusetts.
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Through these efforts, and out-of-the-box thinking like retrofitting BiPAP machines to match a regular ventilator’s capacity, New York was able to meet its ventilator needs across the state. The COVID-19 pandemic also created a mad scramble for personal protective equipment (PPE) across the nation. The federal government’s fragmented and siloed emergency response plan impeded intergovernmental coordination and stymied procurement by the states. Meanwhile, competition among states, private entities and the federal government drove up the prices of these critical resources. Procurement teams reached out to every supplier and called on manufacturers of other products to retrofit their factories to make PPE.
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Supporting this state effort, private companies, charitable organizations, philanthropists, foreign countries, fellow states, and individual citizens stepped up and answered New York’s call to help, donating equipment, supplies, and services to the state’s COVID-19 relief efforts. Within the first 60 days of the emergency, the state received free flights, transportation, and hotel rooms to transport and house the frontline medical volunteers who answered our call to help combat the surge, as well as face shields, gowns, gloves, masks and other medical supplies. When hand sanitizer became scarce and reports of price-gouging raised alarm bells, New York State manufactured its own product, and delivered it to
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critical sites. In the eight weeks since the program began, two million bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer have been distributed to hospitals, nursing homes, food banks, public housing residents, food handlers, the Red Cross, first responders, schools and colleges, healthcare workers, homeless organizations, law enforcement, unions, transportation systems and faith-based organizations across all 62 counties. All of these supply shortages have a common cause. For years, New York’s healthcare providers, and those across the country, have relied on foreign manufacturers to produce the needed equipment, and maintained minimal inventory of critical PPE. When the global pandemic hit, and every country on the planet was seeking the same equipment, these supply chains dried up, and hospitals didn’t have adequate reserves. Going forward, New York and her regional peer states have committed to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment, other medical equipment, and testing resources. Flexible, innovative, and effective intergovernmental coordination is crucial to managing future pandemics, and in the absence of streamlined federal leadership, the states must take the lead.
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DIFFERENT REGIONS HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been starkly different in different states and different regions throughout the country. The unique density of Downstate New York, for example, combined with a large number of airline passengers flying into our regional airports – more than fly to any other State – made New York the most impacted state in the country, while states with spread out populations and little interstate travel, like Montana, were relatively less impacted. Similarly, the course of the pandemic has differed in different regions within New York. Yates County, for example, did not have a COVID-19 diagnosis until April 1. By that time, Long Island had nearly 20,000 confirmed cases, and New York City had over 50,000. A smart response must be sensitive to these regional differences, allocating resources based on need. But we also have to recognize that isolated hotspots can occur, without warning, in areas where the virus is otherwise relatively
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absent or under control. A single “super-spreader” at a crowded wedding, sporting event, or other large gathering can lead to dozens of infections – an overnight crisis. While hard decisions have to be made based on facts and probability, the ability to respond quickly and nimbly is critical to containing the spread of the virus.
...BUT REGIONS MUST COORDINATE The virus, of course, does not recognize jurisdictional boundaries, and it demands a regionally comprehensive and coordinated response. New York has led the country in coordinating its actions with those of its neighbors. New York convened the tristate region’s governors, and later facilitated the expansion of that working group to include a bipartisan group of Governors from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. To the extent feasible, this collaboration has allowed the region to avoid disparities between the states in their closure of certain activities. If one state, for example, closes its restaurants or beaches or movie theaters, but a neighboring state – or county, even – leaves those facilities open, residents of the former state will inevitably flock to the latter, increasing the risk of spread in both places. By coordinating their efforts regionally, New York and her neighbors have been able to successfully avoid creating these so-called “attractive nuisances.”
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Perhaps most important, New York has organized this regional working group into a purchasing cooperative. Shortages of medical equipment forced states to bid against one another for the same limited supply of equipment. As a result, vendors were able to price-gouge New York and other states, costing taxpayers dearly in the midst of an economic crisis. Additionally, rather than coordinate among the States and establish an orderly process for distributing equipment where it was most needed, the federal government sought to purchase equipment for its own stockpile, outbidding states and pushing prices up even further. This situation was untenable. While the states will continue to partner with the federal government during this global and national public health crisis, it’s now abundantly clear that the states have to also work together to identify the entire region’s needs, aggregate demand, reduce costs, stabilize the supply chain, and stockpile. By partnering with each other, states across the eastern seaboard have proven that, when principals communicate with each other, and work with and for each other, the whole group is stronger.
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FEDERAL ASSISTANCE IS CRUCIAL But for all the power states have when they work together on a regional level, some aspects of the response to a major pandemic are beyond the fiscal and operational capacity of any state. State governments can’t be expected to manage an international supply chain, while also trying to put together a statewide testing protocol, coordinating their labs, building an army of tracers, managing hospital capacity, reopening their economy, and more. And the country can’t expect states to appropriate sufficient funds to kickstart a national economy – to restart schools, transportation systems, and healthcare networks – without federal assistance, especially with so many states, including New York, facing budget shortfalls. That’s why it was especially disappointing when the initial federal COVID stimulus package failed to include critical funding for the states. Federal support, especially during a crisis, is indispensable, and New York has partnered extensively with the federal government throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to get New Yorkers the resources they need to stay safe. When the projection models showed New York’s expected need exceeded its capacity, the State worked with the federal government to quickly deploy the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency
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Management Agency (FEMA) to help put up temporary hospitals in Downstate hotspots – including building a 2,500 bed temporary hospital at the Javits Convention Center -- and deploy the US Naval Ship Comfort to New York Harbor, augmenting our hospital capacity with 1,000 additional beds, as well as staff and resources like ventilators. Taken together, these actions have helped New York buck the national trend and flatten the curve. As we move towards reopening the state and kickstarting our economy, this success must be protected. Primum non nocere must be our guiding principle over the coming weeks and months – to first, do no harm. Our actions affect our destiny. Even as we reopen, we must continue our aggressive mitigation efforts, until the threat of COVID-19 is completely eradicated.
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42
II: New York Forward
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O
ur plan to reopen the state, “New York Forward,” focuses first and foremost on getting people back to work and easing social isolation, without
triggering renewed spread of the virus or overwhelming the hospital system. NIAGARA
New York will reopen on a regional basis as each region meets the criteria necessary to protect
ORLEANS
GENESEE
public health. Just as COVID-19 impacted each state across the country – and each country across the globe – in a different way and at a different scale, so too does it impact
LIV ERIE
CHAUTAUQUA
CATTARAUGUS
diverse state differently. Rather than requiring a region like the North Country – whose geographic density is more in line with Montana than its Downstate neighbors – to reopen only when the entire state is ready to do so, this localized method of reopening will allow more people to get back to work and the economy to reopen sooner. Under New York Forward, we can keep ahead of the virus, reopening our economy with a deliberative, data-driven strategy to protect the health and safety New Yorkers and be ready if
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WYOMING
WESTERN NEW YORK
different regions across our vast and
and when a second wave of the virus hits.
F
ALLEGANY
CLINTON FRANKLIN ST. LAWRENCE
NORTH COUNTRY
JEFFERSON
ESSEX
LEWIS
HAMILTON
WARREN OSWEGO
CENTRAL NEW YORK
WAYNE
MONROE
FINGER LAKES
VINGSTON
ONTARIO
WASHINGTON
ONONDAGA
HERKIMER
ONEIDA
FULTON
MADISON
MOHAWK VALLEY MONTGOMERY
SARATOGA
CAPITAL REGION
SCHENECTADY
SENECA CAYUGA CORTLAND
YATES
RENSSELAER
OTSEGO SCHOHARIE
ALBANY
CHENANGO SCHUYLER STEUBEN
TOMPKINS
SOUTHERN TIER CHEMUNG
TIOGA
COLUMBIA
GREENE
DELAWARE
BROOME ULSTER DUTCHESS SULLIVAN
MID-HUDSON PUTNAM ORANGE WESTCHESTER ROCKLAND
HOW NEW YORK REOPENS IS YORK NOT AN EMOTIONAL QUESTION, NEWCITY IT’S NOT A POLITICAL QUESTION, IT’S NOT AN ANECDOTAL QUESTION, IT’S NOT A GUT INSTINCT QUESTION. FOLLOW THE FACTS. FOLLOW THE DATA.
NEW YORK
BRONX
LONG ISLAND SUFFOLK
NASSAU
QUEENS KINGS RICHMOND
– GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 5/5/20
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METRICS TO GUIDE REOPENING It is imperative that we use data and good public health principles to reopen. To that end, state and local officials will monitor four core factors to determine if a region can reopen. The loosening of restrictions in New York will be considered on a regional basis, based on the following criteria. These criteria are designed to allow phased re-openings to begin in each region only if: • The infection rate is sufficiently low; • The health care system has the capacity to absorb a potential resurgence in new cases; • Diagnostic testing capacity is sufficiently high to detect and isolate new cases; and • Robust contact-tracing capacity is in place to help prevent the spread of the virus.
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1. MONITORING NEW INFECTIONS The first key to reopening is continuing to control the rate of transmission of COVID-19, which limits infections and ensures that healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed. The rate of reproduction over time, Rt, measures how many people a virus carrier infects. At New York’s high point, experts believe that the state had an Rt of more than 3, meaning every carrier was infecting three more people, spreading exponentially, and leading to an epidemic we could not control. NY PAUSE succeeded in lowering our rate of transmission to below one – not just slowing the rate of spread but achieving a decline in new cases.
Metric #1: Decline in Total Hospitalizations The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that reopening be dependent on a downward trajectory of hospitalizations and infections over a 14-day period. The CDC also recognizes the need to tailor the application of these criteria to local circumstances (e.g., metropolitan areas that have suffered severe COVID outbreaks, rural and suburban areas where outbreaks have not occurred or have been mild). Accordingly, before a phased re-opening begins, a region must experience a sustained decline in total net hospitalizations – the total number of people in the hospital each day, calculated on a three-day rolling average – over the course of a 14-day period. Alternatively, regions that have seen few COVID cases overall will satisfy this metric if the daily net increase in total hospitalizations (measured on a three-day rolling average) has never exceeded 15.
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Metric #2: Decline in Deaths Another important metric for monitoring the infection rate is the number of daily deaths. Before reopening, a region must experience a sustained decline in the three-day rolling average of daily hospital deaths over the course of a 14-day period. Alternatively, regions that have seen few COVID cases overall will satisfy this metric if the three-day rolling average of daily new hospital deaths has never exceeded 5.
Metric #3: New Hospitalizations In addition to monitoring the decline in disease trajectory, it’s important to monitor the absolute level of infection in each region. This is because it’s possible for a region that has seen a high level of infections – for example, New York City – to see a sustained decline in hospitalizations and deaths over a 14-day period, while still having an underlying infection rate that is too high to allow for a safe phased re-opening. One reliable metric for evaluating the level of infection is the number of new hospitalizations occurring each day. Accordingly, a phased re-opening for each region will be conditioned on the occurrence of fewer than two new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents (measured on a three-day rolling average).
GROSS HOSPITALIZATIONS 3 DAY AVERAGE Regions
Regional Population
Total Numbers of hospitalizations to reach 2 per 100k
Capital Region
1,084,941
Central New York
775,470
Finger Lakes
3-day rolling average gross hospitalizations
3-day rolling average gross hospitalizations per 100k residents
22
5
0.46
16
10
1.33
1,202,978
24
11
0.89
Long Island
2,839,436
57
100
3.51
Mid-Hudson
2,321,965
46
70
3.00
Mohawk Valley
485,302
10
3
0.69
New York City
8,398,748
168
298
3.55
North Country
418,971
8
0
0.08 0.21
Southern Tier
48Western New York NYS Total
633,037
13
1
1,381,361
28
23
1.64
19,542,209
391
521
2.67
2. HEALTHCARE CAPACITY This pandemic has made clear that having enough hospital capacity is critical. Upon the recommendations of public health experts, every region must have the healthcare capacity to handle a potential second surge in cases – regions must have at least 30 percent of their total hospital and ICU beds available at all times.
Metric #4: Hospital Bed Capacity In addition to ensuring that disease progression is contained, guidance from both the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) require that regional health system capacity remain sufficient to absorb a potential resurgence of new cases. Phased re-openings will therefore be conditioned on the hospital bed capacity in each region. Regions must have at least 30 percent of their total hospital beds available before a phased re-open can begin.
Metric #5: ICU Bed Capacity Nearly 30% of hospitalizations for COVID-19 ultimately require critical care. It is therefore critical that regional health care systems not only maintain sufficient bed capacity for a potential resurgence in cases, but also achieve sufficient capacity for ICU beds specifically. Accordingly, regions must have at least 30 percent of their ICU beds available before a phased re-opening can begin. In addition, to ensure nurses and doctors have the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need, every hospital must also have at least 90 days of PPE stockpiled. The State is working with the hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities to develop a timeline to build a robust stockpile. We can’t afford to risk another scramble for PPE while medical personnel are left under-protected.
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3. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING CAPACITY The key to controlling the virus is aggressive testing and tracing, so that hotspots can quickly and effectively be isolated. New York has worked hard to scale up testing at rates higher than any state or country in the world. Hospitalization rates are important, but testing identifies the full rate of spread. Regions can watch that rate move, and adjust their reopening strategies as needed.
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Widespread testing is also key to effective contact tracing. This allows health officials to identify asymptomatic carriers, who are spreading the virus undetected, and isolate them before they infect others.
Metric #6: Diagnostic Testing Capacity Widespread diagnostic testing is a key lynchpin on which our ability to contain the spread of the virus depends. Testing is critical to identifying new infections, isolating them, and tracing their contacts. Phased re-openings will depend on the ability of each region to achieve 30 tests per 1,000 people per month, consistent with the recommendation of Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. New York scaled up testing at rates higher than any state or country in the world. The State is committed to continuing to rapidly expand our capacity statewide to help all regions meet this threshold.
Metric #7: Contact Tracing Capacity The CDC and WHO also recommend that robust contact tracing programs be in place before local governments consider easing restrictions. Contact tracing helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 by rapidly interviewing positive patients; identifying their close contacts; interviewing and alerting those contacts to the risk of infection; and instructing those contacts to quarantine or isolate for 14 days, to be sure they don’t spread COVID-19 to others. I​n collaboration with experts and partner organizations, DOH has established region-specific thresholds for the number of contact tracers required, based on the characteristics within each region.
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Contact tracing, meanwhile, helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 through four key steps: •• First, labs report positive cases of COVID-19 to contact tracers on a
daily basis via a state reporting system. •• Contact tracers then interview positive patients to identify people
they may have been in contact with over the past 14 days. Based on the results of the interview, tracers will advise the positive individual to get tested, and either isolate or quarantine themselves for the following 14 days to prevent further spread of the virus. •• The contact tracer then notifies and interviews each contact of the
original positive individual to alert them to their risk of infection, and instructs those contacts to quarantine or isolate for 14 days to prevent further spread. •• Finally, the contact tracer monitors those contacts by text
throughout the duration of their quarantine or isolation to see if the contacts are showing any symptoms.
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Members of the tracing team will also work with any individual being traced who needs social services assistance, such as housing, food, or medicine, while they are quarantined or isolated. The State is building a nation-leading contact tracing program to monitor and control the infection rate. NYS DOH is working with former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to recruit and train an army of contact tracers to meet the needs of each region statewide, including from State, City and County Health Departments. The program will operate through the next flu season, and it will be implemented in coordination with tristate neighbors New Jersey and Connecticut.
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ONGOING MONITORING Once a phased re-opening begins, it is essential that the rate of transmission be carefully monitored and remain under control. Each region must appoint an oversight institution as its “control room” to monitor the regional infection rate during the phased reopening. This team of local elected officials, as well as hospital and state representatives, will monitor the above metrics and other key indicators, and can slow or shut off reopening if indicators are
Regional COVID-19 Metrics: Where Regions Currently Stand Regions __________________________
Capital Region
Central New York Finger Lakes Long Island Mid-Hudson Mohawk Valley New York City North Country Southern Tier Western New York
© OpenStreetMap
14-Day Decline in net Hospitalizations OR Under 15 new Hospitalizations (3-day avg)
14-Day Decline in Hospital Deaths OR Fewer than 5 deaths (3-day avg)
New Hospitalizations (Under 2 per 100K residents - 3 day rolling avg)
Share of total beds available (threshold of 30%)
Share of ICU beds available (threshold of 30%)
0 | 18
1|6
1.17
36%
54%
0|6
1|3
0.99
43%
53%
Finger Lakes
0 | 11
1|4
1.22
43%
51%
Long Island
32 | 425
1 | 99
2.88
30%
33%
Mid-Hudson
30 | 132
4 | 69
2.38
33%
50%
Mohawk Valley
1|4
3|2
0.34
51%
63%
New York City
31 | 820
30 | 502
2.54
27%
22%
North Country
20 | 3
8|1
0.24
52%
64%
Southern Tier
0|5
1|2
0.32
45%
47%
0 | 28
1|9
2.17
43%
54%
Capital Region Central New York
Western New York
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The up to date monitoring dashboard can be found at
problematic. This team will also monitor business’ compliance with reopening guidelines and ensure that local officials are enforcing these rules when necessary. The State’s public dashboard will allow regions and the public to see where regions are in meeting the metrics, and if certain areas are slipping and in need of additional actions to control the virus and protect the public’s health – a “circuit breaker.”
Report as of May 13, 2020
Metrics Met
30 per 1k residents tested monthly (7-day avg of new tests per day)
Capital Region
5/7
Central New York
7/7
Finger Lakes
7/7
Long Island Mid-Hudson
4/7 5/7
Mohawk Valley
7/7
New York City North Country
4/7 7/7
Southern Tier
7/7
Western New York
4/7
Contact tracers 30 per 100K residents or based on infection rate
Metrics Met
1,299 / 1,085
Expected
5/7
1,052 / 775
Yes
7/7
1,721 / 1,203
Yes
7/7
4,617 / 2,839
Expected
4/7
4,044 / 2,322
Expected
5/7
562 / 485
Yes
7/7
13,824 / 8,399
Expected
4/7
497 / 419
Yes
7/7
1,004 / 633
Yes
7/7
1,539 / 1,381
Expected
4/7
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PHASED REOPENING OF BUSINESSES Each region will reopen businesses in phases, with at least two weeks in between each phase. This allows state and local leaders to monitor the effects of the reopening and ensure hospitalization and infection rates are not increasing before moving to the next phase and permitting more economic activity. Greater Economic Impact
Lower Economic Impact
Low Infection Rate
Industry greater economic impact, low risk of workplace or customer infection spread
Industry less economic impact, low risk of workplace or customer infection spread
High Infection Rate
Industry greater economic impact, higher risk of workplace or customer infection spread
Industry less economic impact, higher risk of workplace or customer infection spread
The phase-in plan prioritizes businesses considered to have a greater economic impact and inherently low risks of infection for the workers and customers,
followed by other businesses considered to have less economic impact, and those that present a higher risk of infection spread. Additionally, when phasing-in reopenings, regions must not open attractions or businesses that would draw a large number of visitors from outside the local area. There is, unsurprisingly, a significant demand by people right now across New York and our neighboring states to gather and enjoy each other’s’ company. While people should be able to have fun, facilities or events that attract hundreds of people from outside the region pose a significant public health danger as we try to carefully reopen. These places should be closed and events should continue to be postponed or cancelled until the threat of COVID-19 has subsided.
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As businesses reopen, they will not be returning to business as usual. Transmission of COVID-19 will remain a threat to employees and customers for some time, and business owners will need to adapt to this “new normal.� Each business and industry must have a plan to protect employees and consumers, make the physical work space safer and implement processes that lower risk of infection in the business.
PHASE 1
Construction
PHASE 2
Manufacturing
Professional Services Finance and Insurance
Wholesale Trade
Retail
Select Retail for Curbside Pickup Only
Administrative Support
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
Restaurants and Food Services
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Education
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The first factor is protections for employees and customers.
These include possible adjustments to workplace hours and shift design as necessary to reduce density in the workplace; enacting social distancing protocols, and restricting nonessential travel for employees. The second is changes to the physical workspace, including
requiring all employees and customers to wear masks if in frequent close contact with others and implementing strict cleaning and sanitation standards. The last factor for businesses to consider is implementing processes that meet our changing public health obligations,
like screening individuals when they enter the workplace, or reporting confirmed positives to customers. While these processes will vary from business to business, almost everyone will have to adapt, in some way or another, to our new normal. The State has created and deployed the New York Forward Reopening Advisory Board, to help guide the state’s reopening
strategy and develop industry specific safety guidelines, and regions should consider them a resource throughout this process. The advisory board is chaired by former Secretaries to the Governor Steve Cohen and Bill Mulrow and includes over 100 business, community, and civic leaders from industries across the state.
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Statewide New Daily COVID-19 Hospitalizations
In developing these plans, businesses will need to consider three main factors.
Data Projection: Rt stays at 0.75
3000
Projection: Rt rises to 1.25 on June 01 Projection: Rt rises to 1.5 on June 01 Projection: Rt rises to 2 on June 01
2000
1000
0 Mar 15
Apr 01
Apr 15
May 01
May 15
Jun 01
Jun 15
Jul 01
Jul 15
Aug 01
Aug 15
Date
As businesses and citizens alike grow more and more restless, the pressure on elected leaders to act based on emotion or politics, rather than facts and data, will increase. But both the public health and economic stakes are too high right now to let opinion guide decision-making. The New York Forward Plan is evidence-based, sound, and driven by science and economics, not politicians. It’s how we reopen our state and put New York back to work as safely and as quickly as we can. 
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III: Leadership
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D
uring a crisis, New Yorkers look to their elected officials, across all levels of government, for leadership. And from the first day of the
outbreak, COVID-19 has been no different. As we work together to start reopening New York and prevent a second wave, our efforts will require continued strong, decisive leadership from all levels of government, driven by a select few guiding principles that New Yorkers have come to expect from their representatives in government.
PEOPLE WANT THE FACTS When COVID-19 first appeared in New York, we faced an epidemic on two fronts – one caused by the novel coronavirus, and another caused by fear. Take, for example, social distancing. During the first few weeks after the initial confirmation, some politicians announced they planned to issue what they called “shelter in place” orders – a term associated with nuclear disasters and active shooters, rather than a call to spend the day at home, when possible. The confusion bred chaos – rumors of mandatory quarantining and travel bans abounded, despite legal
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WE ARE TAKING EVERY ACTION TO MAKE SURE NEW YORKERS ARE SAFE. BUT UNDUE ANXIETY AND FEAR IS A THREAT IN ITSELF. LET'S FIGHT FEAR WITH FACTS.
– GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 3/5/2020
and practical dubiousness. And people rightly grow afraid when they think no one is in charge, when they don’t have the all the information, or when they don’t trust the information they’re getting. There’s a fine line between being candid and inciting fear. People need to be aware of the threat they face – aware enough to act, and protect themselves and others. But on the other hand, essential workers need to know that government is working diligently to ensure it’s safe for them to leave their homes and go into work – to keep our hospitals, grocery stores, and transit lines operating. That’s why I was so proud of the work many of my colleagues in public service performed during the chaotic first few weeks of the outbreak.
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We were in constant communication with the public, relaying all of the facts as they came in. Not sensationalized, not editorialized – just the facts, the antidote to fear and anxiety. We worked with each other, putting politics and histories aside to cut through red tape and ensure all New Yorkers had the resources and support they needed to get through the day, at least. And while we didn’t know for sure, at the time, what COVID-19 would ultimately bring to New York, we acted quickly and effectively to prepare the state for the worst, even as we hoped for, and worked for, the best. As regions start to phase-in their reopenings, local leaders need to communicate factually and clearly with their constituents – explaining the facts on the ground that are driving decision-making and making that data available to the public. Many are rightfully eager to reopen quickly and may be frustrated by the need to go slowly and deliberately. Understanding their leaders’ decisions will calm anxiety and stop the spread of rumors. The New York Forward Plan provides a framework for that conversation, identifying the metrics that officials can use to measure the infection rate and the readiness of local hospitals and contact tracers to handle those cases.
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PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS Tragically, the virus, and the measures needed to stop the spread, disproportionally impact the same vulnerable populations: older and lower-income New Yorkers. The New York Forward plan builds in metrics to monitor and control the spread of the virus, but as officials phase-in reopening, they also have an obligation to pay special attention to these vulnerable populations, including the frontline workers who are most at risk. For older and immunocompromised New Yorkers, leaders should emphasize the need for heightened safety precautions and continued social distancing, especially as businesses start to reopen. Since these New Yorkers will continue to stay at home longer than most, officials should continue to ensure that these residents have access to the food, medicine, and other support they need. State and local leaders must also continue monitoring nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to make sure they are protecting the most vulnerable in society.
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Under federal and state laws nursing homes are required to immediately certify to the Department of Health that they have complied with all regulations, directives, and guidance, including cohorting COVID-positive patients and staff, and if they cannot transferring the resident to another facility; staff temperature checks every 12-hours; mandating PPE; that all nursing homes test residents and staff twice a week; and prohibiting visitors. Additionally, to protect all nursing home residents, DOH requires all patients test negative upon discharge from a hospital before being admitted into a nursing home facility. DOH is inspecting facilities that have not complied with these directives, including separation and isolation policies, staffing policies, and inadequate personal protective equipment. If DOH determines that the facilities failed to comply with the directives and guidance, the facilities could be fined or lose their operating license. The State has also been working with nursing homes and to provide access to every nursing home facility in the state to staffing assistance (including the state’s nation-leading volunteer portal), PPE and providing tests to staff and residents as well as testing kits. Testing has found that low-income New Yorkers and communities of color have paid a disproportionate price for this disease. Additionally, 52 percent of New York’s frontline workers are people of color. Of those frontline workers, 63 percent of public transit workers, 69 percent of building cleaning service workers, and 51 percent of healthcare workers are people of color.12 People of color are also disproportionately represented in delivery and childcare services, and approximately one third of frontline workers are members of low-income households. 12. Center for Economic and Policy Research, “A Basic Demographic Profile of Workers in Frontline Industries.” April 7, 2020. https://cepr.net/a-basic-demographic-profile-of-workers-in-frontline-industries/
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The state has been laser-focused on these communities. We launched a partnership with Ready Responders to bring healthcare services, including increased COVID-19 diagnostic testing, to New York City Housing Authority residents and churches across New York City. And we launched an effort with the State University of New York at Albany and Northwell Health, led by SUNY Albany President HavidĂĄn RodrĂguez, to collect new data on health disparities and recommend actions the State can take to address them. This data collection complements our mandate requiring unprecedented demographic data collection and reporting by all New York hospitals for all new COVID patient admits. Now, as regions bring businesses back online, local officials must also work to prevent these communities from continuing to bear the brunt of the pandemic, including through increased testing and equitable resource allocation. The virus is also an ongoing source of added pressure and concern during pregnancies. In response, the State formed the COVID-19 Maternity Task Force, led by Secretary to the Governor
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COVID-19 FATALITIES IN NEW YORK
New York City
Rest of State
% of % of % of % of Fatalities Population Fatalities Population Hispanic 34% 29% 14% 12% Black 28% 22% 18% 9% White 27% 32% 60% 74% Asian 7% 14% 4% 4% Other 4% 3% 4% 1% COVID-19 Fatalities in New York In a survey of 1,650 newly hospitalized COVID-19 patients in NYC, of the 21 zip codes with the most Race
new COVID-19 hospitalizations, 20 have greater than average black and/or Latino populations.
Melissa DeRosa. Accepting the Task Force’s recommendations, the State enacted measures diversifying birthing site options and supporting patient choice; extending the period of time a healthy support person can accompany a mother post-delivery; mandating testing of all pregnant New Yorkers; and ensuring equity in birthing options. The Task Force also developed an awareness campaign and conducted a review of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and newborns, with special emphasis on reducing racial disparities in maternal mortality.​ Finally, there has been a reported uptick in the number of domestic violence cases in the state. Because of continued social distancing guidelines, domestic violence victims are even more vulnerable and unsafe while isolated at home, without being able to get away from their abuser. The State has launched a text message and confidential online service to aid victims, but local officials and law enforcement should ensure all avenues of local support are available to victims. New Yorkers in need of help can text 844-997-2121, or can confidentially reach a professional at www.opdv.ny.gov 68
EDUCATE AND HOLD BUSINESSES ACCOUNTABLE TO GUIDELINES When New York went on PAUSE, most New Yorkers did the right thing, closing non-essential businesses and refraining from large gatherings that would exacerbate the spread. For those that did not, local governments have been key partners with the New York State PAUSE Enforcement Assistance Task Force in reaching out to businesses to inform them of the social density orders and their responsibility to protect the health and safety of themselves and others. Where that was insufficient, local law enforcement has issued penalties or closures where appropriate. Under New York Forward, regions will be reopening at different paces, led by the data, and communication to businesses about the rules of the road will be critical. Local leaders should continue with their strategy of outreach and education to businesses that are not in compliance with guidelines. For continued or egregious non-compliance, local law enforcement are empowered to enforce the rules.
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PLAN FOR SCHOOL REOPENINGS Schools and colleges will be reopened. But the question for each region is when, how, and for whom. How can K-12 schools monitor the spread of COVID-19? How do we instill parent confidence and reinforce student safety? When, and how, will extra-curricular activities reopen? Do protocols for special student populations change? On college campuses, how will housing, meals, and gatherings work? What steps need to be taken to ensure student mental health? How can colleges best work together to share services and offer opportunities across public and private systems? Would any alternative academic calendars work? And what role will technology play in the education system’s new normal?
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Each school and college will face its own myriad set of new challenges. Regional leaders should develop a localized reopening plan, with support from the Reimagine Education Advisory Council of educators, students, parents and education leaders, to be submitted to the state for approval, that addresses how they plan to reopen their schools – and reopen them safely.
PAY ATTENTION TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING The rapid and dramatic response to COVID-19 – shutting down the economy and asking people to stay home – had many ancillary disruptions. Chief among them was an impact to mental health. A lot of New Yorkers have been touched by grief. Avoiding neighbors in the street is profoundly disorienting. Going weeks without seeing family and close friends is profoundly dispiriting. The entire experience of quarantine is profoundly isolating. Half of all Americans have said that their mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, and experts have measured a rise in drug and alcohol consumption. The anxiety, depression, insomnia, loneliness – the feeling of isolation – is not going away soon. Mental health and wellbeing is an even bigger concern for frontline workers. Healthcare workers, essential workers, and first responders are all working long hours under incredible stress, worried about their own health or bringing an infection home.
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The State has developed mental health support resources for all New Yorkers. We set up a mental health hotline, and recruited thousands of mental health professionals to provide free counseling to anyone who needs it. The State has partnered with the Kate Spade New York Foundation and Crisis Text Line to provide 24/7 emotional support for frontline healthcare workers. New York has also partnered with Headspace to offer free meditation and mindfulness content as a mental health resource for all of us as we cope with this unprecedented public health crisis. New Yorkers can access a collection of science-backed, evidence-based guided meditations, along with at-home mindful workouts, sleep exercises, and chidren’s content to help address rising stress and anxiety.
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The mental health challenges posed by the pandemic will persist, even as we begin to reopen. State and local leaders need to continue to address these problems. This doesn’t mean just providing more resources to New Yorkers. It means leaders should speak to their anxieties, reminding New Yorkers that they are not alone, that things will get better, and that they should get the help they need. Moving New York forward will be complicated at times. And it will be frustrating for many who are also trying to adapt to a new reality – too slow for some, too fast for others. But moments like these are why elected officials were put in office. Over the last two months, millions of New Yorkers have put aside their personal and political differences and come together to support each other and keep our state safe. We owe it to them to do the same – to put aside party and ideology and work together to communicate clearly, with one voice, and make progress happen for all New Yorkers.
New Yorkers can make an appointment for free online mental health services at 1-844-863-9314 Frontline workers in need of emotional support can text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 Access free meditation and mindfulness resources at
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IV: Individual Responsibility
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S
ince day one of this crisis, people across New York and across the country have turned to their local, county, state, and federal governments for direction. As well they should –
government should be the primary driver and manager of our societal response during an emergency. Further, much attention has rightfully focused on the bravery of our heroic frontline workers – the medical staff working endless hours to save lives, the first responders keeping us safe, the grocery store staff, food delivery workers and cooks, transit workers, and so many more who have been going out every day to serve their communities. But all citizens also have an important role to play in combating this crisis– an individual responsibility to uphold their end of the social contract, show respect for their fellow New Yorkers, and help keep those around them safe. That means continuing to social distance, continuing to wear a mask, continuing practicing good hand hygiene or wearing gloves, and continuing to stay inside as much as possible. Of course, it’s not plausible to be inside 100% of the time – you have to go get groceries, check the mail, and walk the dog. Still, the fact is that every minute someone’s interacting with the public, they’re increasing the risk to themselves, and they’re increasing the risk to other people. Taking unnecessary risks also disrespects the sacrifices of frontline workers. Failing to do your part could mean more people get infected, potentially overwhelming hospitals or infecting heath care workers themselves.
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AN INDIVIDUAL'S ROLE IS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY AND INTELLIGENTLY FOR YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, AND FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. WEAR A MASK. – GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 5/3/2020 COVID-19 is a vicious virus. It’s highly contagious. It may live on surfaces for days. It doesn’t take much at all for anyone, including younger people, to catch this virus. And there’s so much we still don’t know about it. While initial data indicated that children were less at-risk than other age groups, we’ve recently seen a troubling rise in deaths from a possible complication of COVID-19 in children, presenting symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease – a rare inflammatory condition – and toxic shock syndrome. The single most important person keeping you safe, keeping your family safe, and keeping everyone around you safe, is yourself. Taking every protective precaution isn’t about any one of us – it’s about all of us.
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The last couple of months have been unbelievably hard. But in some ways, the weeks and months ahead of us now will be even tougher. As spring gives way to summer and it gets warmer and nicer outside, as the economy eases back into motion, as the statistics look more and more encouraging, and as cabin fever reaches a breaking point, New Yorkers are going to have to dig in and keep doing what they’ve been doing so well: Staying inside and avoiding others. Wearing a mask, all the time. Washing their hands. And keeping certain businesses and industries temporarily closed. This is part of our new normal, at least for the time being. It’s frustrating – there’s no denying that. But now is our make or break point. If we double down on our efforts and fulfill our social responsibility now, we can rid New York of this virus for good.
IT IS US, TOGETHER, VERSUS THE VIRUS.
– GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO 5/4/2020 78
The COVID-19 crisis has challenged our state and our country like nothing we’ve faced in generations. But in the face of incredible adversity, we’ve also seen the grace and sense of community that makes us special. From the parent in Syracuse who has added “Algebra teacher” to their list of titles, to Dennis Ruhnke, the retired farmer in Kansas who mailed New York his extra N-95 mask so that we could give it to a frontline worker who needed it, people everywhere have stepped up and pulled together to help us weather this storm. If we each do our part, and continue supporting each other and lifting each other up, we will beat this virus, and come out stronger on the other side.
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V: Build Back Better
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YOU DON'T WANT TO BUILD BACK WHAT WAS. YOU WANT TO BUILD BACK BETTER THAN BEFORE. – GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 4/25/2020
T
he hard truth is that we can’t just reopen New York the way it was, because the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered our state and our way of
life. To simply reopen would mean trying to return to the old normal – a normal that no longer exists. The New York we build back will be different than the preCOVID New York. But in the unprecedented challenge this crisis posed, there is an unprecedented opportunity to plan ahead, think differently, and build back better than ever before. History has repeatedly shown us that times of crisis can shock the body politic into lasting change that improves society for generations to come. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed 300 people, left 100,000 people homeless, and destroyed over three square miles of the city, led to stricter fire safety laws and building codes, including banning wooden buildings within city limits – measures that have saved countless lives since.
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The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911 was the deadliest industrial disaster in New York’s history, causing the deaths of 146 garment workers. It led to Governor Al Smith and Frances Perkins passing the first state workplace guarantees in the country later that year – a model for the nation that improved worker safety across America. The Great Depression – the longest, deepest, and most widespread economic downturn of the 20th century – was reversed through President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation, leading to the dawn of the “American Century” and the creation of a social safety net, including Social Security. From World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history, with as many as 85 million people killed, came the United Nations; unprecedented opportunity for women in the workforce; and the GI Bill, which helped more than 8 million veterans go back to school. After 2,977 innocent Americans lost their lives on September 11, 2001, in the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, the Department of Homeland Security was established, representing the largest restructuring of the U.S. government in contemporary history. And after Superstorm Sandy left devastation in its path in 2012, New York State built back stronger, made its infrastructure more resilient, and established the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, dedicated to centralizing recovery and rebuilding efforts in impacted areas of New York State.
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Today, we have another chance to make ourselves better for having gone through hell. This is a moment not just to reexamine and intelligently build back core parts of our society and our economy to be more resilient to future pandemics, but to reimagine – to chart a new course and a new vision for New York’s future, and finally address the systemic issues that, for too long, have limited opportunity and progress for all.
BETTER EDUCATION SYSTEM Beginning in early March, schools across the state began moving to distance-learning models as the virus spread across New York. By early May, all schools across the state had been closed for the remainder of the academic year – an unprecedented step that placed an enormous burden on administrators, teachers, parents, and students alike. Lesson plans had to be adapted to fit online classrooms. Child care had to be provided. And tens of thousands of students who rely on their schools for free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches had to be fed. Going forward, we must explore ways in which our education can be reimagined, including by examining ways technology can be used to provide more opportunities to students, reduce educational inequality, and better meet the educational needs of students with disabilities.
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Over the coming months, New York State will partner with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as local education leaders from across the state, to convene experts and develop a blueprint to adapt our state’s education system for this new normal. To aid in the development of these plans, in early May, the State launched a Reimagine Education Advisory Council, made up of educators, students, parents and education leaders, to help districts reimagine schools as they prepare to reopen. By doing so, we will build an education system that is able not just to serve students during a global pandemic, but to address inequalities that, for too long, have created disparities between richer and poorer school districts.
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BETTER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM The COVID-19 crisis exposed operational issues with New York’s healthcare system, forcing us to adapt on the fly through creative strategies like the Surge and Flex initiative. We must learn from this experience and be better prepared for when the next medical crisis hits our state – a matter of if, not when. This will be accomplished through a number of approaches. New York can rethink and harden our healthcare system by continuing and expanding the tele-medicine and remote-care healthcare options whose use and popularity grew over the last two months, strategically balancing our medical resource stockpile across the state, and expanding frontline healthcare worker employment opportunities, we can harden our healthcare system today against the challenges of tomorrow. Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health and former State Director of Health, Education, and Human Services under Governor Mario Cuomo, will help New York on this critical endeavor.
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BETTER TRANSPORTATION NETWORK In the midst of the pandemic, the MTA completed the L-Train project, which repaired the Hurricane Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel under the East River without shutting down the train’s service. The project was finished three months ahead of schedule and $100 million under budget. This project – the result of outside-the-box thinking by a panel of international transit experts – is proof that creative thinking and challenging the conventional wisdom can yield extraordinary results. Now, with mass transit systems in New York City and across the state operating on alternate schedules – including shutting down the MTA’s subway system from 1:00-5:00 am – and receiving increased attention from sanitation and repair crews, we have a chance to find ways to increase service, reduce costs, and protect the health of workers and riders alike.
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GREATER SOCIAL EQUITY The pandemic exacerbated existing inequality among New Yorkers. African Americans and Latinos across the state faced disproportionately high COVID-19 fatality rates. A 15,000-person random antibody survey conducted by the state further demonstrated that communities of color saw disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection. Recent data also demonstrates that residents of low-income and non-white communities are entering hospitals at a higher rate. Several factors drive these disparities, among them that frontline workers in healthcare, transit, and law enforcement are disproportionately people of color, and that, on average, African American and Latino New Yorkers have less access to healthcare than other New Yorkers, and higher rates of pre-existing medical conditions that render patients particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. New York’s response has focused with special intensity on easing the virus’ impact on communities of color, including launching targeted testing programs at churches and public housing complexes within impacted communities of color, and distributing more than one
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million protective masks and more than ten thousand gallons of hand sanitizer to public housing residents. We’ve launched an effort with the State University at Albany and Northwell Health to examine the underlying, systemic issues at work, collect more data, and recommend ways to act on it. This research will enable us to make the type of reforms necessary for our state and this country to be better for having gone through this. Even as we’ve worked as a state to expand testing to all corners of New York, and even as we’ve continued our day-one commitment to ensure every single person has the care and coverage they need – including mental health and wellness coverage – New York is committed to learning the lessons from this crisis and using this opportunity to make social progress a reality for every New Yorker.
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BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY Throughout this crisis, New Yorkers have been reminded, once again, of the truly heroic work our first responders – healthcare workers, firefighters, EMTs, police and corrections officers, and others – perform on a daily basis. But we’ve also been reminded that, while saying thank you is great, our actions are what count. New York has conducted random antibody survey testing to fully understand the impact of the virus on our first responders. Across the board, our first responders saw lower rates of infection than the public at large. These findings reconfirm the State’s approach from Day One – to ensure our frontline heroes have the protective equipment they need to stay safe as they serve New Yorkers every day.
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But developing better lines of coordination between federal, state, and local authorities, and ensuring first responders have the supplies and protective equipment they need to face any crisis must be a top priority for every elected official as we enter our new normal. It’s the thanks our heroes need and deserve
BETTER HOUSING SUPPORT Public health crises and housing reforms have always gone hand-in-hand. Poor conditions in 19th and 20th century tenement housing spurred revolutionary sanitary and ventilation regulations, including the New York State Tenement House Act, a progressive reform that still governs New York City low-rise building law today. The crisis of our era exposed our need to focus more attention on residents of public housing, who have disproportionately suffered during this crisis, and address homelessness by ensuring access to quality, affordable housing for New York’s most vulnerable citizens. The reimagination of our housing system should include examining how expanded affordable housing options can reduce density in crowded living environments and better ensure that, during a contagious disease outbreak, New Yorkers have the housing options needed to protect themselves and their families.
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BETTER INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN STATE SYSTEMS Many opportunities that New York has to build back better depend on widespread and equitable access to new technologies and broadband internet. To reimagine our state, we have to integrate our practices and systems with the best advanced technology tools. Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and Executive Chairman and founder of Schmidt Futures, will lead a 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission and use what the state has learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with new technologies, to improve technology access for all New Yorkers.
A BETTER ECONOMY FOR ALL Like every state across the country, every aspect of New York’s economy – thriving just weeks ago – has been devastated by the COVID-19 crisis. Nearly two million New Yorkers are out of a job, and tens of billions in tax revenue is lost.
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We must – we will – rebuild our economy and get the state back to work. But we must also do it in a way that makes our state’s fiscal health and workforce more resilient. Millions of workers have spent the last two months telecommuting or working from home – policies that will inevitably need to continue and expand as technology becomes more accessible and employers grow more flexible. And because the pandemic exposed how vulnerable a supply chain that relies too heavily on foreign countries is, to be prepared for the next crisis, we must create new jobs and manufacture our own critical goods and supplies here at home. Franklin Roosevelt’s comprehensive, progressive, and creative efforts as Governor of New York and President of the United States helped lead our state and our country out of the depression following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and laid the foundation for decades of unprecedented prosperity. Today, we again have an opportunity to rebuild a healthy, just, strong, and resilient workforce, and we must take it. This pandemic has made many of the systemic faults across every aspect of our society, our laws, and our support systems even more clear. The solutions won’t be easy – and aren’t even necessarily clear today. But what is clear is our obligation to learn from these exposures, to think differently, and to act boldly to better ourselves and our state.
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VI: Excelsior
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T
he New York State Motto is “Excelsior” – Latin for “ever upward.” Since its adoption in 1778, it has served as a reminder of both our state’s continued pursuit of
excellence, and our unwavering belief in a brighter future. That credo has never been more important to our identity than right now. Because while we will never forget the pain and devastation this crisis brought to our state... While we will mourn those we’ve lost, and remember the bravery, compassion, and heroism of the countless New Yorkers who stepped up when called upon... And while we will be humbled by the lessons COVID-19 taught us… We can’t, we won’t, let it break us. That’s not in our DNA. This recovery and rebuild will require New Yorkers, in both the public and private sectors, to be bold. To make decisions and act. To think big, and have the courage to make that vision a reality.
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YOU GET KNOCKED ON YOUR REAR IN LIFE. THAT HAPPENS. THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU GET UP? AND IF YOU GET UP, HOW DO YOU GET UP. ARE YOU A BETTER PERSON FOR HAVING GOTTEN KICKED ON YOUR REAR END? – GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, 4/22/2020
It will require a renewed commitment by government to performance and expertise. That is what we owe our citizens. And it will require all New Yorkers to put their faith in competent elected officials, guided by facts, rather than by optics, celebrity, and press releases. That is what we owe our state. But if we each do our part – if we’re tough, smart, disciplined, unified, and loving – then we will get through this together. We’ll learn from it. And we’ll be better for it.
That’s the New York way.
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APPENDIX I. Members of the New York Forward Re-Opening Advisory Board II. Executive Orders No. 202, 202.6, 202.7, 202.8 III. Protocol for COVID-19 Testing Applicable to All Health Care Providers and Local Health Departments IV. New York State County Health Office Contact Information
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I. Members of the New York Forward Re-Opening Advisory Board • Quenia Abreu President New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce • Elizabeth Alexander President, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation • Vincent Alvarez President, NYC Central Labor Council • Stuart Appelbaum President, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union • Robert Bakish CEO, Viacom • Ajay Banga CEO, MasterCard • Kathy Behrens President, Social Responsibility & Player Programs, National Basketball Association • Bill Berkley Chair, NYU
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• Greg Biryla State Director, National Federation of Independent Business • Albert Bourla CEO, Pfizer • Elizabeth Bradley President, Vassar College • Kyle Bragg President, SEIU 32BJ • Heather Briccetti President & CEO, The Business Council • Tory Burch - Executive Chair, Tory Burch LLC • Gerrard P. Bushell - former President and CEO of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) • James Cahill President, NYS Building and Construction Trades • Wellington Chen Executive Director of Chinatown Business Improvement District • Mario Cilento President, NYS AFL-CIO
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• Henry Cisneros Siebert, Brandford, Shank & Co. • Dr. Katherine Conway-Turner President, SUNY Buffalo State College • Steven M. Cohen Former Secretary to the Governor • Lou Coletti President, Building Trades Employers Association • Stacey Cunningham - President, NYSE • Vijay Dandapani President & CEO, Hotel Association of NYC • Sonya Del Peral Nine Pin Ciderworks • Mylan Denerstein Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher • Alicia Fernandez Dicks President/CEO, Community Foundation of Oneida and Herkimer • James Dolan CEO, Madison Square Garden
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• Gary Douglas President & CEO, North Country Chamber of Commerce • Jonathan Drapkin President & CEO, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress • Stacey Duncan Executive Director, The Agency • Leecia Eve Vice President of State Government Affairs, Verizon • Alicia Fernandez Dicks President & CEO, Community Foundation of Oneida and Herkimer • Melissa Fleischut President & CEO, NYS Restaurant Association • Bill Ford CEO, General Atlantic LLC • Jane Fraser President, Citigroup • Adena Friedman President & CEO, Nasdaq • Joanna Geraghty President & COO, Jetblue Airways Corp
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• Raymond Gindi COO, Century 21 • Ken Goldberg President, Amusement and Music Operators Association of NY • Bea Grause President, Healthcare Association of New York State • Jonathan Gray President & COO, Blackstone Group • George Gresham President, 1199SEIU • Horacio Gutierrez General Counsel, Spotify • Sabrina HoSang Jordan CEO, Caribbean Food Delights, Inc. • Maria Imperial CEO, YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester • Shirley Ann Jackson President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • Dr. Amarilis Jacobo President, National Hispanic Dental Association
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• Jeremy Jacobs Jr Co-Chief Executive Officer, Delaware North • Michele Johnson YWCAs of Elmira President of YWCAs NYS • René Jones Chair & CEO, M&T Bank • Michel Khalaf President & CEO, MetLife • Pat Kane Executive Director, New York State Nurses Association • Gary LaBarbera President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York • Mary Beth Labate President, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities • Kevin Law President & CEO, Long Island Association, Inc. • Jon Ledecky Co-Owner, NY Islanders
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• Kewsong Lee Co-CEO, Carlyle Group • Randy Levine President, NY Yankees • Mayra Linares-Garcia VP of Public Affairs and Communications at Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages • Melanie Littlejohn Chair, Board of Directors, CenterState CEO • Melinda Mack Executive Director, NYATEP • Joanie Mahoney Chief Operating Officer, SUNY ESF • Carl McCall Former Chair, SUNY Board of Trustees; Former NYS Comptroller • Brenda McDuffie President & CEO at Buffalo Urban League • James McKenna CEO, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
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• Cheryl McKissack Daniel President & CEO, McKissack & McKissack • Father Joseph McShane President, Fordham University • Elizabeth Moore General Counsel, Con Edison • Wes Moore CEO, Robin Hood • Marc Moria President & CEO, National Urban League • William J. Mulrow Former Secretary to the Governor • John McAvoy Chairman, President & CEO, Con Edison • Danny Meyer CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group • Dr. Belinda S. Miles President, SUNY Westchester Community College • Frankie Miranda President & CEO, Hispanic Federation
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• George Miranda International Vice President- At Large, Teamsters • Orinthia T. Montague - President, Tompkins Cortland Community College • Henry Munoz • Candice Niu - Executive Director, China General Chamber of Commerce • Brian O’Donoghue • Ana Oliveira President & CEO, The New York Women’s Foundation • Kim Pegula President and CEO, Pegula Sports and Entertainment • Elizabeth Peralta - Executive Director, National Supermarket Association • Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker - President/CEO, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo • Charles Phillips Chair, Infor • Martha Pollack President, Cornell University
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• Ted Potrikus President & CEO, Retail Council of New York State • Christine Quinn President & CEO, Women in Need • Ken Raske President, Greater NY Hospital Association • Scott Rechler CEO & Chairman, RXR Realty • Andrew Rigie President, NYC Hospitality Alliance • Linda Brown-Robinson President, Syracuse Onondaga NAACP • Lisa Rosenblum Vice Chair, Altice • Jane Rosenthal Co-Founder & CEO, Tribeca Enterprises • Steven Rubenstein Chairman, Association for a Better New York • Bill Rudin Rudin Management Company
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• Kevin Ryan Co-Founder, MongoDB • Julie Samuels President, Tech:NYC • Rob Sands Chairman, Constellation Brands • Theresa Sanders President of the Urban League of Long Island • Jaime Saunders CEO, United Way of Greater Rochester • Diane Serratore Executive Director, Help From People to People • Jeff Shell CEO, NBC Universal • Carlo Scissura President & CEO, NY Building Congress • Leonard Schleifer CEO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals • Josh Silverman CEO, Etsy
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• Lisa Sorin President, Bronx Chamber of Commerce • Rob Speyer President & CEO, Tishman Speyer • Ty Stone President, Jefferson County Community College • Ken Sunshine President, Sunshine Sachs • Steve Swartz President & CEO, Hearst; Co- Chair, Partnership for NYC • Chandrika Tandon Chair, Tandon Capital Associates • Elinor Tatum Publisher and Editor in Chief, New York Amsterdam News • Crickett Thomas-O’Dell Regional Director, Workforce Development Institute • Bill Thompson Chairman, CUNY • Merryl Tisch Chairman, SUNY
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• Erin Tolefree Executive Vice President, Baldwin Richardson Foods • Clara Tsai Brooklyn Nets • Elizabeth Velez CEO Velez Organization & Chair, NY Building Congress • Fanny Villarreal Executive Director, YWCA Syracuse Onondaga County • Dennis Walcott Former NYC School Chancellor • John Waldron President and COO, Goldman Sachs • Darren Walker President, Ford Foundation • Peter Ward President, NY Hotel & Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO • Nicole Wegman Senior Vice President, Wegmans • Anthony Welters Executive Chairman, BlackIvy Group, LLC
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• Jim Whelan President, Real Estate Board of New York • Jeff Wilpon COO, NY Mets • Tren’ness Woods-Black Sylvia’s Restaurant • Sheena Wright President & CEO, United Way of New York City • Kathy Wylde President & CEO, Partnership for NYC • Jo-Ann Yoo Executive Director, Asian American Federation • Kristine M. Young President, Orange County Community CollegeLourdes Zapata - President & CEO at South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation
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II. Executive Orders No. 202, 202.6, 202.7, 202.8 No. 202 EXECUTIVE ORDER Declaring a Disaster Emergency in the State of New York WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health
Organization designated the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, United States Health and
Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the entire United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19; WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact
transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and more are expected to continue; and WHEREAS, New York State is addressing the threat that
COVID-19 poses to the health and welfare of its residents and visitors.
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NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the
State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of New York, hereby find, pursuant to Section 28 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, that a disaster is impending in New York State, for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately, and I do hereby declare a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York. This Executive Order shall be in effect until September 7, 2020; and IN ADDITION, this declaration satisfies the requirements of
49 C.F.R. 390.23(a)(1)(A), which provides relief from Parts 390 through 399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FM CSR). Such relief from the FM CSR is necessary to ensure that crews are available as needed. FURTHER, pursuant to Section 29 of Article 2-B of the
Executive Law, I direct the implementation of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and authorize all necessary State agencies to take appropriate action to assist local governments and individuals in containing, preparing for, responding to and recovering from this state disaster emergency, to protect state and local property, and to provide such other assistance as is necessary to protect public health, welfare, and safety.
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IN ADDITION, by virtue of the authority vested in me
by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through April 6, 2020 the following: Section 112 of the State Finance Law, to the extent consistent with Article V, Section 1 of the State Constitution, and to the extent necessary to add additional work, sites, and time to State contracts or to award emergency contracts, including but not limited to emergency contracts or leases for relocation and support of State operations under Section 3 of the Public Buildings Law; or emergency contracts under Section 9 of the Public Buildings Law; or emergency contracts for professional services under Section 136- a of the State Finance Law; or emergency contracts for commodities, services, and technology under Section 163 of the State Finance Law; or design-build or best value contracts under and Part F of Chapter 60 of the Laws of 2015 and Part RRR of Chapter 59 of the Laws of 2017; or emergency contracts for purchases of commodities, services,
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and technology through any federal GSA schedules, federal 1122 programs, or other state, regional, local, multijurisdictional, or cooperative contract vehicles; Section 163 of the State Finance Law and Article 4-C of the Economic Development Law, to the extent necessary to allow the purchase of necessary commodities, services, technology, and materials without following the standard notice and procurement processes; Section 97-G of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to purchase food, supplies, services, and equipment or furnish or provide various centralized services, including but not limited to, building design and construction services to assist affected local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in responding to and recovering from the disaster emergency; Section 359-a, Section 2879, and 2879-a of the Public Authorities Law to the extent necessary to purchase necessary goods and services without following the standard procurement processes; Sections 375, 385 and 401 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law to the extent that exemption for vehicles validly registered in other jurisdictions from vehicle registration, equipment and dimension requirements is necessary to assist in preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak;
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Sections 6521 and 6902 of the Education Law, to the extent necessary to permit unlicensed individuals, upon completion of training deemed adequate by the Commissioner of Health, to collect throat or nasopharyngeal swab specimens from individuals suspected of being infected by COVID-19, for purposes of testing; and to the extent necessary to permit non-nursing staff, upon completion of training deemed adequate by the Commissioner of Health, to perform tasks, under the supervision of a nurse, otherwise limited to the scope of practice of a licensed or registered nurse; Subdivision 6 of section 2510 and section 2511 of the Public Health Law, to the extent necessary to waive or revise eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, or premium contributions; modify covered health care services or the scope and level of such services set forth in contracts; increase subsidy payments to approved organizations, including the maximum dollar amount set forth in contracts; or provide extensions for required reports due by approved organizations in accordance with contracts; Section 224-b and subdivision 4 of section 225 of the Public Health Law, to the extent necessary to permit the Commissioner of Health to promulgate emergency regulations and to amend the State Sanitary Code;
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Subdivision 2 of section 2803 of the Public Health Law, to the extent necessary to permit the Commissioner to promulgate emergency regulations concerning the facilities licensed pursuant to Article 28 of the Public Health Law, including but not limited to the operation of general hospitals; Subdivision 3 of section 273 of the Public Health Law and subdivisions 25 and 25-a of section 364-j of the Social Services Law, to the extent necessary to allow patients to receive prescribed drugs, without delay; Section 400.9 and paragraph 7 of subdivision f of section 405.9 of Title 10 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit general hospitals and nursing homes licensed pursuant to Article 28 of the Public Health Law (“Article 28 facilities�) that are treating patients during the disaster emergency to rapidly discharge, transfer, or receive such patients, as authorized by the Commissioner of Health, provided such facilities take all reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of such patients and residents, including safe transfer and discharge practices, and to comply with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (42 U.S.C. section 1395dd) and any associated regulations; Section 400.11 of Title 10 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit Article 28 facilities receiving patients as a result of the disaster emergency to complete patient review instruments as soon as practicable;
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Section 405 of Title 10 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to maintain the public health with respect to treatment or containment of individuals with or suspected to have COVID-19; Subdivision d and u of section 800.3 of Title 10 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit emergency medical service personnel to provide community paramedicine, transportation to destinations other than hospitals or health care facilities, telemedicine to facilitate treatment of patients in place, and such other services as may be approved by the Commissioner of Health; Paragraph 3 of subdivision f of section 505.14 of Title 18 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit nursing supervision visits for personal care services provided to individuals affected by the disaster emergency be made as soon as practicable; Sections 8602 and 8603 of the Education Law, and section 58-1.5 of Title 10 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit individuals who meet the federal requirements for high complexity testing to perform testing for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in specimens collected from individuals suspected of suffering from a COVID-19 infection;
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Subdivision 4 of section 6909 of the Public Health Law, subdivision 6 of section 6527 of the Education Law, and section 64.7 of Title 8 of the NYCRR, to the extent necessary to permit physicians and certified nurse practitioners to issue a non-patient specific regimen to nurses or any such other persons authorized by law or by this executive order to collect throat or nasopharyngeal swab specimens from individuals suspected of suffering from a COVID-19 infection, for purposes of testing, or to perform such other tasks as may be necessary to provide care for individuals diagnosed or suspected of suffering from a COVID-19 infection; Section 596 of Title 14 of the NYCRR to the extent necessary to allow for rapid approval of the use of the telemental health services, including the requirements for in-person initial assessment prior to the delivery of telemental health services, limitations on who can deliver telemental health services, requirements for who must be present while telemental health services are delivered, and a recipient’s right to refuse telemental health services; Section 409-i of the Education Law, section 163-b of the State Finance Law with associated OGS guidance, and Executive Order No. 2 are suspended to the extent necessary to allow elementary and secondary schools to procure and use cleaning and maintenance products in schools; and sections 103 and 104-b of the General Municipal
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Law are suspended to the extent necessary to allow schools to do so without the usual advertising for bids and offers and compliance with existing procurement policies and procedures; Article 7 of the Public Officers Law, section 41 of the General Construction Law, and section 3002 of the Public Health Law, to the extent necessary to permit the Public Health and Health Planning Council and the State Emergency Medical Services Council to meet and take such actions as authorized by law, as may be necessary to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, without meeting quorum requirements or permitting the public in-person access to meetings, provided that any such meetings must be webcast and means for effective public comment must be made available; and FURTHER, I hereby temporarily modify, for the period from
the date of this Executive Order through April 6, 2020, the following laws: Section 24 of the Executive Law; Sections 104 and 346 of the Highway Law, Sections 1602, 1630, 1640, 1650, and 1660 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law; Section 14(16) of the Transportation Law; Sections 6-602 and 17-1706 of the Village Law; Section 20(32) of the General City Law; Section 91 of Second Class Cities Law; Section 19-107(ii) of the New York City Administrative Code; and Section 107.1 of Title
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21 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, to the extent necessary to provide the Governor with the authority to regulate traffic and the movement of vehicles on roads, highways, and streets. G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in
the City of Albany this seventh day of March in the year two thousand twenty. BY THE GOVERNOR Secretary to the Governor
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No. 202.6 EXECUTIVE ORDER CONTINUING TEMPORARY SUSPENSION AND MODIFICATION OF LAWS RELATING TO THE DISASTER EMERGENCY WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order
Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact
transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to be continue; WHEREAS, in order to facilitate the most timely and effective
response to the COVID 19 emergency disaster, it is critical for New York State to be able to act quickly to gather, coordinate, and deploy goods, services, professionals, and volunteers of all kinds; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of
the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with
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such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through April 17, 2020 the following: Section three of the Public Officer’s Law shall not apply to an individual who is deemed necessary to hire or to engage in a volunteer capacity to provide for an effective and efficient emergency response, for the duration of such emergency; Subparagraph (i) of subdivision 1 of section 73 of the Public Officers Law Section shall not apply to any person who is hired, retained, appointed, or who volunteers in any way to assist New York State in its response to the declared emergency; Subparagraph 5 of section 73 of the Public Officers Law Section shall not apply to a state officer or employee, or a volunteer who is facilitating contributions or donations to assist New York State in its response to the declared emergency; Subparagraph 8 of section 73 of the Public Officers Law Section 73(8) and section 74 of the Public Officer’s Law shall not apply to volunteers or contractors who assist New
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York State in its response, provided that any recusals shall be adhered to if determined necessary by the appointing entity; Legislative Law Section 1-M is suspended to the extent that any agency may receive a donation in kind or otherwise, in any amount from any source, provided such donation is made to the State and is administered by a state agency in furtherance of the response effort; State Finance Law Section 11, to the extent necessary to facilitate an efficient and effective New York State emergency disaster response, shall not apply to any state agency efforts to further the response to the declared emergency; NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me
by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby issue the following directives for the period from the date of Executive Order through April 17, 2020: Effective on March 20 at 8 p.m.: All businesses and notfor-profit entities in the state shall utilize, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they can safely utilize. Each employer shall reduce the in-person workforce at any work locations by 50% no later than March 20 at 8 p.m. Any essential business or entity providing essential services or functions shall
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not be subject to the in-person restrictions. This includes essential health care operations including research and laboratory services; essential infrastructure including utilities, telecommunication, airports and transportation infrastructure; essential manufacturing, including food processing and pharmaceuticals; essential retail including grocery stores and pharmacies; essential services including trash collection, mail, and shipping services; news media; banks and related financial institutions; providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations; construction; vendors of essential services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences or other essential businesses; vendors that provide essential services or products, including logistics and technology support, child care and services needed to ensure the continuing operation of government agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public; Any other business may be deemed essential after requesting an opinion from the Empire State Development Corporation, which shall review and grant such request, should it determine that it is in the best interest of the state to have the workforce continue at full capacity in order to properly respond to this disaster. No later than 5 p.m. on March 19, 2020, Empire State Development Corporation shall issue guidance as to which businesses are determined to be essential.
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G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in
the City of Albany this eighteenth day of March in the year two thousand twenty. BY THE GOVERNOR Secretary to the Governor
 
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No. 202.7 EXECUTIVE ORDER CONTINUING TEMPORARY SUSPENSION AND MODIFICATION OF LAWS RELATING TO THE DISASTER EMERGENCY WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order
Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact
transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to be continue; WHEREAS, in order to facilitate the most timely and effective
response to the COVID 19 emergency disaster, it is critical for New York State to be able to act quickly to gather, coordinate, and deploy goods, services, professionals, and volunteers of all kinds; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of
the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with
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such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through April 18, 2020 the following: The suspensions made to the Public Officer’s Law, including provisions of Section 73 and Section 74, by Executive Order 202.6 are hereby modified to require that such suspensions and modifications shall only be valid with respect to a person hired for a nominal or no salary or in a volunteer capacity. IN ADDITION, by virtue of the authority vested in me by
Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby issue the following directives for the period from the date of Executive Order through April 18, 2020: Any notarial act that is required under New York State law is authorized to be performed utilizing audio-video technology provided that the following conditions are met: The person seeking the Notary’s services, if not personally known to the Notary, must present valid photo ID to the Notary during the video conference, not merely transmit it prior to or after;
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The video conference must allow for direct interaction between the person and the Notary (e.g. no pre-recorded videos of the person signing); The person must affirmatively represent that he or she is physically situated in the State of New York; The person must transmit by fax or electronic means a legible copy of the signed document directly to the Notary on the same date it was signed; The Notary may notarize the transmitted copy of the document and transmit the same back to the person; and The Notary may repeat the notarization of the original signed document as of the date of execution provided the Notary receives such original signed document together with the electronically notarized copy within thirty days after the date of execution. Effective March 21, 2020 at 8 p.m. and until further notice, all barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing parlors and related personal care services will be closed to members of the public. This shall also include nail technicians, cosmetologists and estheticians, and the provision of electrolysis, laser hair removal services, as these services cannot be provided while maintaining social distance.
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The provisions of Executive Order 202.6 requiring in-person work environment restrictions are modified as follows: Effective March 21, 2020 at 8 p.m. and until further notice all businesses and not-for-profit entities in the state shall utilize, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they can safely utilize. Each employer shall reduce the in-person workforce at any work locations by 75% no later than March 21 at 8 p.m. Any essential business or entity providing essential services or functions shall not be subject to the in-person restrictions. G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in
the City of Albany the nineteenth day of March in the year two thousand twenty. BY THE GOVERNOR Secretary to the Governor
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No. 202.8 EXECUTIVE ORDER CONTINUING TEMPORARY SUSPENSION AND MODIFICATION OF LAWS RELATING TO THE DISASTER EMERGENCY WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order
Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact
transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to be continue; WHEREAS, in order to facilitate the most timely and effective
response to the COVID-19 emergency disaster,it is critical for New York State to be able to act quickly to gather, coordinate, and deploy goods, services, professionals, and volunteers of all kinds; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of
the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any
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agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through April 19, 2020 the following: In accordance with the directive of the Chief Judge of the State to limit court operations to essential matters during the pendency of the COVID-19 health crisis, any specific time limit for the commencement, filing, or service of any legal action, notice, motion, or other process or proceeding, as prescribed by the procedural laws of the state, including but not limited to the criminal procedure law, the family court act, the civil practice law and rules, the court of claims act, the surrogate’s court procedure act, and the uniform court acts, or by any other statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or part thereof, is hereby tolled from the date of this executive order until April 19, 2020; Subdivision 1 of Section 503 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, to the extent that it provides for a period of validity and expiration of a driver’s license, in order to extend for the duration of this executive order the validity of driver’s licenses that expire on or after March 1, 2020;
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Subdivision 1 of Section 491 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, to the extent that it provides for a period of validity and expiration of a non-driver identification card, in order to extend for the duration of this executive order the validity of non-driver identification cards that expire on or after March 1, 2020; Sections 401, 410, 2222, 2251, 2261, and 2282(4) of the Vehicle and Traffic law, to the extent that it provides for a period of validity and expiration of a registration certificate or number plate for a motor vehicle or trailer, a motorcycle, a snowmobile, a vessel, a limited use vehicle, and an all-terrain vehicle, respectively, in order to extend for the duration of this executive order the validity of such registration certificate or number plate that expires on or after March 1, 2020; Section 420-a of the vehicle and traffic law to the extent that it provides an expiration for temporary registration documents issued by auto dealers to extend the validity of such during the duration of this executive order. Subsection (a) of Section 602 and subsections (a) and (b) of Section 605 of the Business Corporation Law, to the extent they require meetings of shareholders to be noticed and held at a physical location.
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NOW, THEREFORE , by virtue of the authority vested in
me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby issue the following directives for the period from the date of Executive Order through April 19, 2020: The provisions of Executive Order 202.6 are hereby modified to read as follows: Effective on March 22 at 8 p.m.: All businesses and not-for-profit entities in the state shall utilize, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they can safely utilize. Each employer shall reduce the in-person workforce at any work locations by 100% no later than March 22 at 8 p.m. Any essential business or entity providing essential services or functions shall not be subject to the in-person restrictions. An entity providing essential services or functions whether to an essential business or a non-essential business shall not be subjected to the in-person work restriction, but may operate at the level necessary to provide such service or function. Any business violating the above order shall be subject to enforcement as if this were a violation of an order pursuant to section 12 of the Public Health Law. There shall be no enforcement of either an eviction of any tenant residential or commercial, or a foreclosure of any residential or commercial property for a period of ninety days.
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Effective at 8 p.m. March 20, any appointment that is inperson at any state or county department of motor vehicles is cancelled, and until further notice, only on-line transactions will be permitted. The authority of the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance to abate late filing and payment penalties pursuant to section 1145 of the Tax Law is hereby expanded to also authorize abatement of interest, for a period of 60 days for a taxpayers who are required to file returns and remit sales and use taxes by March 20, 2020, for the sales tax quarterly period that ended February 29, 2020. G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in
the City of Albany this twentieth day of March in the year two thousand twenty. BY THE GOVERNOR Secretary to the Governor  
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III. Protocol for COVID-19 Testing Applicable to All Health Care Providers and Local Health Departments DATE: April 26, 2020 TO: Health Care Providers, Health Care Facilities, and Local
Health Departments FROM: New York State Department of Health Background:
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) continues to monitor the situation and work to expand COVID-19 diagnostic and serologic testing for New Yorkers. Purpose:
Appropriate and efficient standards for testing are an essential component of a multi-layered strategy to prevent sustained spread of COVID-19 in New York State and to ensure resources are being efficiently and equitably distributed. New York State continues to increase testing capacity for COVID-19 on a daily basis. However, until such time as we are at full capacity, this
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guidance is necessary to ensure that New York State prioritizes resources to meet the most urgent public health need. Diagnostic and/or serologic testing for COVID-19 shall be authorized by a health care provider when:
• An individual is symptomatic or has a history of symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, and/or trouble breathing), particularly if the individual is 70 years of age or older, the individual has a compromised immune system, or the individual has an underlying health condition; or • An individual has had close (i.e. within six feet) or proximate contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19; or • An individual is subject to a precautionary or mandatory quarantine; or • An individual is employed as a health care worker, first responder, or other essential worker who directly interacts with the public while working; or • An individual presents with a case where the facts and circumstances – as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state or local department of health officials – warrant testing.
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Based on individual clinical factors, health care providers should use clinical judgement to determine the appropriate COVID-19 test(s) (i.e. diagnostic or serologic) that should be obtained. Testing Prioritization:
On April 17, 2020, Executive Order 202.19 was issued requiring the establishment of a single, statewide coordinated testing prioritization process that shall require all laboratories in the state, both public and private, that conduct COVID-19 diagnostic testing, to complete such COVID-19 diagnostic testing only in accordance with such process. To support the statewide coordinated testing prioritization, health care providers should take the following prioritization into consideration when ordering a COVID-19 test:
1. Symptomatic individuals, particularly if the individual is part of a high-risk population, including persons who are hospitalized; persons residing in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, or other congregate care settings; persons who have a compromised immune system; persons who have an underlying health condition; and persons who are 70 years of age or older.
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2. Individuals who have had close (i.e. within six feet) or proximate contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19. 3. Individuals who are employed as health care workers, first responders, or in any position within a nursing home, longterm care facility, or other congregate care setting, including but not limited to:
• Correction/Parole/Probation Officers • Direct Care Providers • Firefighters • Health Care Practitioners, Professionals, Aides, and Support Staff (e.g. Physicians, Nurses, Public Health Personnel) • Medical Specialists • Nutritionists and Dietitians • Occupational/Physical/Recreational/Speech Therapists • Paramedics/Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
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• Police Officers • Psychologists/Psychiatrists • Residential Care Program Managers 4. Individuals who are employed as essential employees who directly interact with the public while working, including but not limited to:
• Animal Care Workers (e.g. Veterinarians) • Automotive Service and Repair Workers • Bank Tellers and Workers • Building Code Enforcement Officers • Child Care Workers • Client-Facing Case Managers and Coordinators • Counselors (e.g. Mental Health, Addiction, Youth, Vocational, Crisis, etc.) • Delivery Workers
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• Dentists and Dental Hygienists • Essential Construction Workers at Occupied Residences or Buildings • Faith-Based Leaders (e.g. Chaplains, Clergy Members) • Field Investigators/Regulators for Health and Safety • Food Service Workers • Funeral Home Workers • Hotel/Motel Workers • Human Services Providers • Laundry and Dry Cleaning Workers • Mail and Shipping Workers • Maintenance and Janitorial/Cleaning Workers • Optometrists, Opticians, and Supporting Staff • Retail Workers at Essential Businesses (e.g. Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, Convenience Stores, Gas Stations, Hardware Stores)
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• Security Guards and Personnel • Shelter Workers and Homelessness Support Staff • Social Workers • Teachers/Professors/Educators • Transit Workers (e.g. Airports, Railways, Buses, and ForHire Vehicles) • Trash and Recycling Workers • Utility Workers
Diagnostic Testing Access:
Individuals who fit these prioritization categories and do not currently have access to testing can call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 or visit the NYSDOH website https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov/ to be screened for eligibility, and if eligible, have an appointment set up at one of the State’s Testing Sites.
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Precautions:
Any release of information must adhere strictly to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and any other applicable federal and state laws governing personal health information. Providers who have questions can contact the NYSDOH Bureau of Communicable Disease Control at 518-473-4439 during business hours or 1-866-881-2809 during evenings, weekends, and holidays. 
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IV. New York State County Health Office Contact Information ALBANY COUNTY Albany County Department of Health Phone: 518-447-4580 Fax: 518-447-4698 ALLEGANY COUNTY Allegany County Department of Health Phone: 585-268-9250 Fax: 585-268-9264 BROOME COUNTY Broome County Health Department Phone: 607-778-2802 Fax: 607-778-2838 CATTARAUGUS COUNTY Cattaraugus County Health Department Phone: 716-373-8050 Fax: 716-701-3737 Disease Control/Zika Questions: 716-701-3394 CAYUGA COUNTY Cayuga County Health Department Phone: 315-253-1560 Fax: 315-253-1156
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY Chautauqua County Health Department Phone: 716-753-4590 Fax: 716-753-4640 CHEMUNG COUNTY Chemung County Health Department Phone: 607-737-2028 Fax: 607-737-3576 CHENANGO COUNTY Chenango County Health Department Phone: 607-337-1660 Fax: 607-337-1720 CLINTON COUNTY Clinton County Department of Health Phone: 518-565-4840 Fax: 518-565-4717 COLUMBIA COUNTY Columbia County Department of Health Phone: 518-828-3358 Fax: 518-828-5894 CORTLAND COUNTY Cortland County Health Department Phone: 607-753-5036 Fax: 607-753-5209
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DELAWARE COUNTY Delaware County Public Health Services Phone: 607-832-5200 Fax: 607-832-6021 DUTCHESS COUNTY Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health Phone: 845-486-3432 Fax: 845-486-3448 ERIE COUNTY Erie County Department of Health Phone: 716-858-6976 Fax: 716-858-8701 Disease Control/Zika Questions: Epidemiology: 716-858-7697 ESSEX COUNTY Essex County Health Department Phone: 518-873-3500 Fax: 518-873-3539 FRANKLIN COUNTY Franklin County Public Health Services Phone: 518-481-1710 Fax: 518-483-9378 FULTON COUNTY Fulton County Public Health Department Phone: 518-736-5720 Fax: 518-762-1382
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GENESEE COUNTY Genesee County Public Health Department Phone: 585-344-2580 Fax: 585-345-3064 GREENE COUNTY Greene County Public Health Department Phone: 518-719-3600 Fax: 518-719-3781 HAMILTON COUNTY Hamilton County Public Health Nursing Service Phone: 518-648-6497 Fax: 518-648-6143 HERKIMER COUNTY Herkimer County Public Health Nursing Service Phone: 315-867-1176 Fax: 315-867-1444 JEFFERSON COUNTY Jefferson County Public Health Service Phone: 315-786-3710 Fax: 315-786-3761 LEWIS COUNTY Lewis County Public Health Phone: 315-376-5453 Fax: 315-376-7013
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY Livingston County Department of Health Phone: 585-243-7270 Fax: 585-243-7287 MADISON COUNTY Madison County Department of Health Phone: 315-366-2361 Fax: 315-366-2697 MONROE COUNTY Monroe County Health Department Phone: 585-753-2991 Fax: 585-753-5115 MONTGOMERY COUNTY Montgomery County Public Health Department Phone: 518-853-3531 Fax: 518-853-8218 NASSAU COUNTY Nassau County Department of Health Phone: 516-227-9500 Fax: 516-227-9696 After Hours and Weekends Emergencies: 516-742-6154 NEW YORK CITY New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Phone: 347-396-4100 Fax: 347-396-4135 or 347-396-4136
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NIAGARA COUNTY Niagara County Department of Health Phone: 716-439-7435 Fax: 716-439-7402 ONEIDA COUNTY Oneida County Health Department Phone: 315-798-6400 Fax: 315-266-6138 ONONDAGA COUNTY Onondaga County Health Department Phone: 315-435-3252 Fax: 315-435-5720 ONTARIO COUNTY Ontario County Public Health Phone: 585-396-4343 Fax: 585-396-4551 Phone: 800-299-2995 ORANGE COUNTY Orange County Health Department Phone: 845-291-2332 Fax: 845-291-2341 ORLEANS COUNTY Orleans County Health Department Phone: 585-589-3278 Fax: 585-589-2873
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OSWEGO COUNTY Oswego County Health Department Phone: 315-349-3545 Fax: 315-349-3435 OTSEGO COUNTY Otsego County Health Department Phone: 607-547-4230 Fax: 607-547-4385 PUTNAM COUNTY Putnam County Health Department Phone: 845-808-1390 Fax: 845-808-1937 RENSSELAER COUNTY Rensselaer County Department of Health Phone: 518-270-2626 Fax: 518-270-2638 After hours emergency line call: 518-857-4660 ROCKLAND COUNTY Rockland County Department of Health Phone: 845-364-2512 Fax: 845-364-2628 SARATOGA COUNTY Saratoga County Public Health Services Phone: 518-584-7460 Fax: 518-583-1202
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY Schenectady County Public Health Services Phone: 518-386-2824 Fax: 518-382-5418 SCHOHARIE COUNTY Schoharie County Department of Health Phone: 518-295-8365 Fax: 518-295-8786 SCHUYLER COUNTY Schuyler County Public Health Department Phone: 607-535-8140 Fax: 607-535-8157 SENECA COUNTY Seneca County Health Department Phone: 315-539-1925 Fax: 315-539-9493 ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY St. Lawrence County Public Health Department Phone: 315-386-2325 Fax: 315-386-2203 After Hours: 315-454-2363 STEUBEN COUNTY Steuben County Public Health Phone: 607-664-2438 Fax: 607-664-2166
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SUFFOLK COUNTY Suffolk County Department of Health Services Phone: 631-854-0000 Fax: 631-854-0108 SULLIVAN COUNTY Sullivan County Public Health Services Phone: 845-292-5910 Fax: 845-513-2276 TIOGA COUNTY Tioga County Public Health Department Phone: 607-687-8600 Fax: 607-223-7019 TOMPKINS COUNTY Tompkins County Health Department Phone: 607-274-6600 Fax: 607-274-6680 ULSTER COUNTY Ulster County Department of Health Phone: 845-340-3150 Fax: 845-334-8337 WARREN COUNTY Warren County Health Services Phone: 518-761-6580 Fax: 518-761-6422
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WASHINGTON COUNTY Washington County Public Health Services Phone: 518-746-2400 Fax: 518-746-2461 WAYNE COUNTY Wayne County Public Health Phone: 315-946-5749 Fax: 315-946-5762 Off Hours Emergency Number: 315-946-9711 WESTCHESTER COUNTY Westchester County Department of Health Phone: 914-813-5000 Fax: 914-813-5003 WYOMING COUNTY Wyoming County Health Department Phone: 585-786-8890 Fax: 585-786-3537 YATES COUNTY Yates County Health Department Phone: 315-536-5160
Fax: 315-536-5146
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GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO
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Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
APPENDIX D: NEW YORK STATE DAY CAMP GUIDELINES
www.gnparks.org
This page was last updated June 22, 2020 2:45 PM.
INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR CHILD CARE AND DAY CAMP PROGRAMS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY When you have read this document, you can affirm at the bottom. As of June 8, 2020
Purpose This Interim Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs”) was created to provide owners/operators of child care and day camp programs and their employees, parents/guardians and visitors with precautions to help protect against the spread of COVID-19.
This guidance applies only to day child care and camp programs. It does not include overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. These guidelines are minimum requirements only and any employer is free to provide additional precautions or increased restrictions. These guidelines are based on the best-known public health practices at the time of publication, and the documentation upon which these guidelines are based can and does change frequently. The Responsible Parties – as defined below – are accountable for adhering to all local, state and federal requirements relative to child care and day camp programs and activities. The Responsible Parties are also accountable for staying current with any updates to these requirements, as well as incorporating same into any activities and/or Site Safety Plan. Background On March 7, 2020, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued Executive Order 202, declaring a state of emergency in response to COVID-19. Community transmission of COVID-19 has occurred throughout New York. To minimize further spread, social distancing of at least six feet must be maintained between individuals, where possible.
On March 20, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.6, directing all non-essential businesses to close in-office personnel functions. Essential businesses, as defined by Empire State Development Corporation (ESD) guidance, were not subject to the in-person restriction, but were, however, directed to comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining a clean and safe work environment issued by the New York State Department of Health (DOH), and were strongly urged to maintain social distancing measures. ESD designated child care as an essential service. On April 12, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.16, directing essential businesses to provide employees, who are present in the workplace, with a face covering, at no-cost, that must be used when in direct contact with customers or members of the public during the course of their work. On April 15, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.17, directing that any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering must cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance. On April 16, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.18, directing that everyone using public or private transportation carriers or other for-hire vehicles, who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering, must wear a mask or face covering over the nose and
mouth during any such trip. It also directed any operators or drivers of public or private transport to wear a face covering or mask which covers the nose and mouth while there are any passengers in such a vehicle. On May 29, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.34, authorizing business operators/owners with the discretion to deny admittance to individuals who fail to comply with the face covering or mask requirements. As such, child care and day camp staff are required to wear face coverings at all times while caring for or otherwise interacting with children. This applies to all modalities, even those providing care in their own residence. On April 26, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced a phased approach to reopen industries and businesses in New York in phases based upon a data-driven, regional analysis. On May 4, 2020, the Governor provided that the regional analysis would consider several public health factors, including new COVID-19 infections, as well as health care system, diagnostic testing, and contact tracing capacity. On May 11, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that the first phase of reopening would begin on May 15, 2020 in several regions of New York, based upon available regional metrics and indicators. On May 29, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that the second phase of reopening would begin in several regions of the state, and announced the use of a new early warning dashboard that aggregates the state's expansive data collection efforts for New Yorkers, government officials, and experts to monitor and review how the virus is being contained to ensure a safe reopening. On June 2, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that summer day camps can open statewide on June 29, 2020. Important Note: Young children/campers (i.e., those that are not yet in kindergarten) do not need to wear face coverings when they are in child care or day camp program facility or area. Older children/campers are encouraged but not required to wear face coverings as feasible. Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 2, or for anyone who is unable to medically tolerate such covering, including children/campers for whom such covering would impair their health or mental health, or where such covering would present a challenge, distraction, or obstruction to the child care or day camp programs. In addition, the outdoor space that belongs to and/or is exclusively used by the child care or day camp program is not considered a public place for the purposes of this guidance. Children/campers are not required to wear a face covering when utilizing the outdoor space that belongs to and/or is exclusively used by the child care or day camp program. Child care programs and day camps that have access to a pool must adhere to State and DOH guidelines regarding swimming pools.
In addition to the following standards, the owners/operators of child care programs and day camps must continue to comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining clean and safe work environments issued by DOH. Please note that where guidance in this document differs from guidance issued by New York State, or the respective licensing or oversight body, such as the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), DOH, or the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the more recent guidance shall apply. Standards for Responsible Child Care and Day Camp Programs Operating in New York State: No child care or day camp program can operate without meeting the following minimum State standards, as well as applicable federal requirements, including but not limited to such minimum standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
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The State standards contained within this guidance apply to all child care and day camp programs in operation during the COVID-19 public health emergency until rescinded or amended by the State. The child care or day camp owner/operator/manager, or another party as may be designated by the child care or day camp owner/operator/manager (in either case, “the Responsible Parties”) shall be responsible for meeting these standards. The following guidance is organized around three distinct categories: people, places, and processes.
I. PEOPLE A. Physical Distancing •
Responsible Parties should ensure that their employees maintain a distance of at least six feet from other employees at all times, unless safety or the core activity requires a shorter distance (e.g. jointly caring for a child or responding to the needs of a camper). However, any time that employees are less than six feet from one another, they must wear acceptable face coverings. o
Acceptable face coverings for COVID-19 include but are not limited to cloth-based face coverings and disposable masks that cover both the mouth and nose.
o
However, cloth, disposable, or other homemade face coverings are not acceptable face coverings for workplace activities that typically require a higher degree of protection for personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the nature of the work. For those activities, N95 respirators or other PPE used under existing industry standards should continue to be used, as is defined in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
•
Responsible Parties must ensure that employees wear face coverings at all times when interacting with children or campers, regardless of the distance between the employee and children/campers.
•
Responsible Parties must ensure that employee and children/camper groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of children/campers stay with the same staff whenever and wherever possible. Group size must be limited to no more than ten (10) children or campers. The restriction on group size does not apply to employees/staff.
•
o
Responsible Parties must limit groups to 10 or fewer children/campers, excluding employees/staff, in a specific area (e.g. room) at any given time.
o
Responsible Parties must ensure that different stable groups of up to 10 children/campers have no or minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time, to the greatest extent possible.
o
Responsible Parties should maintain a staffing plan that does not require employees to “float” between different classrooms or groups of children, unless such rotation is necessary to safely supervise the children/campers due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. staff absence).
o
If Responsible Parties allocate time for children/campers to rest during the day (e.g. nap time), Responsible Parties should place children/campers at least six feet apart and head-to-toe for the duration of rest, when feasible.
Responsible Parties may modify the use and/or restrict the number of work areas and seating areas for their employees, so that individuals are at least six feet apart in all directions (e.g. side-to-side and when facing one another) and are not sharing work areas without cleaning and disinfection between use. When distancing is not feasible between work areas, Responsible Parties must provide and require the use of face coverings or physical barriers (e.g. plastic shielding walls, in lieu of face coverings in areas where they would not affect air flow, heating, cooling, or ventilation).
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o
If used, physical barriers should be put in place in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
o
Physical barrier options may include strip curtains, cubicles, plexiglass or similar materials, or other impermeable dividers or partitions.
o
Shared workstations (e.g. “hot-desks”) must be cleaned and disinfected between users.
•
Responsible Parties should prohibit the use of small spaces (e.g. supply closest, storage areas, vehicles, kitchens, or restrooms) by more than one employee at a time, unless all employees in such space at the same time are wearing acceptable face coverings. However, even with face coverings in use, occupancy must never exceed 50% of the maximum capacity of the space or vehicle, unless it is designed for use by a single occupant. Responsible Parties should increase ventilation with outdoor air to the greatest extent possible, unless such air circulation poses a safety or health risk (e.g., allowing pollens in or exacerbating asthma symptoms) to children or campers using the facility.
•
Responsible Parties should take additional measures to prevent congregation in elevator waiting areas and limit density in elevators, such as enabling the use of stairs.
•
Responsible Parties should put in place measures to reduce bi-directional foot traffic using tape or signs with arrows in narrow aisles, hallways, or spaces, and post signage and distance markers denoting spaces of six feet in all commonly used areas and any areas in which lines are commonly formed or people may congregate (e.g. vestibules in large facilities during drop off and pickup).
•
Responsible Parties should put in place measures for child/camper drop-off and pick-up procedures to allow for strict social distancing of six feet between parents/guardians and employees. o
•
Parents/guardians are not permitted to spend an excessive amount of time in the child care or day camp facility.
Responsible Parties should consider staggering arrival and drop-times. o
Responsible Parties should consider, when feasible, having staff receive the child or camper from the parent/guardian at the beginning of the day and bring the child or camper out to the parent/guardian at the end of the day, so that parents/guardians don’t have to enter the facility or program area.
•
Responsible Parties should develop strategies for limiting the number of parents/guardians into the facility or program area at any time.
•
Responsible Parties must post signs throughout the site, consistent with DOH COVID-19 signage. Responsible Parties can develop their own customized signage specific to their workplace or setting, provided that such signage is consistent with the Department’s signage. Signage should be used to remind individuals to: o
Cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face-covering.
o
Properly store and, when necessary, discard PPE.
o
Adhere to physical distancing instructions.
o
Report symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19, and how they should do so.
o
Follow hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection guidelines.
o
Follow appropriate respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
B. Caring for Young Children
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Recognizing that maintaining social distancing is not possible when caring for young children, Responsible Parties must implement precautionary measures for their employees/staff who are taking care of young children and campers during the COVID-19 outbreak, including: o
Frequent and thorough hand hygiene for both staff and children/campers.
o
Employees may consider wearing an over-large button-down, long sleeved shirt or smock and putting long hair up off the collar in a ponytail or other updo. Shirts and smocks should be washed or laundered after use or whenever soiled.
o
When soiled with a child’s secretions (including drool), employees should change the buttondown shirt or smock and wash anywhere that came into contact with a child’s secretions (e.g. neck or hands).
o
Whenever a child is soiled with secretions, change the child’s clothes and, as necessary, clean the child (e.g. wash hands or arms).
o
▪
Children in child care or day camp programs should have multiple changes of clothes on hand in the program facility or area. Responsible Parties should make efforts to have spare changes of clothes for children who either do not have extra clothes or have used their extra clothes, as practicable.
▪
Contaminated clothes should be placed in a plastic bag and sent home for laundering, or where applicable, washed on premises.
When diapering/providing assistance with toileting, wear gloves, wash hands (staff and child), and follow cleaning and disinfection steps between each child. ▪
Reference CDC guidelines, “Supplemental Guidance for Child Care” for additional information.
C. Child Care Program and Camp Activities •
Responsible Parties should prioritize program activities that maximize social distancing (i.e. minimal person-to-person contact) at all child care and camp program facilities and areas.
•
For pool and aquatic activities, Responsible Parties must: o
Ensure face coverings are not worn while in the water;
o
Keep stable groups of children/campers separated;
o
Encourage water activities where staff can safely supervise older children/campers in the water without being in the water themselves versus activities which require staff to be in the water with children/campers;
o
Ensure appropriate social distancing is kept, to the extent possible; and
o
Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols. ▪
•
Reference CDC guidelines, “Considerations for Public Pools, Hot Tubs, and Water Playgrounds During COVID-19” for additional information.
For sport and athletic activities, Responsible Parties must: o
Keep stable groups of children/campers separated;
o
Focus on activities with little or no physical contact (e.g. running or hiking); and
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o
▪
Encourage sports that involve less physical closeness over sports that are close-contact or involve shared equipment and gear that cannot be cleaned and disinfected between uses.
▪
Encourage activities that are lower risk, such as individual or small group skill-building and conditioning over those that may result in closer, higher-risk contact, such as games.
Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols. ▪
•
•
For food services, Responsible Parties must: o
Serve individual portions to children/campers;
o
Keep stable groups of children/campers separated;
o
Consider staggering mealtimes to reduce occupancy within an indoor space or congregation within an outdoor area; and
o
Separate tables with seating at least six feet apart from other tables, as feasible.
For excursions and trips, Responsible Parties must discourage excursions away from child care or day camp programs (e.g., field trips). o
•
Reference CDC guidelines, “Considerations for Youth Sports” for additional information.
However, if transportation occurs, Responsible Parties must make all reasonable efforts to maintain stable groups of children/campers in vehicles. ▪
In any situation where groups of children/campers must be mixed within a vehicle, the Responsible Parties must ensure that seating of individuals, including the employees and children/campers, is arranged in a manner that maximizes the distance between the different groups of children/campers and employees.
▪
Responsible Parties must ensure that all individuals, including the driver, employees, and children/campers who are over the age of two and able to medically tolerate a face covering, are wearing face coverings.
▪
Responsible Parties should ensure that when children/campers are boarding the vehicle, they are occupying seats from back to front, where feasible.
▪
Responsible Parties should increase ventilation, when weather permits, within any vehicle (e.g. opening the top hatches of buses or opening windows) within the discretion of the driver or program operator/manager.
On rainy days or inclement weather, Responsible Parties should consider setting program or activity capacity that allows for appropriate social distancing between stable groups of children/campers, when, due to the weather, groups must remain indoors or under shelters (e.g. park pavilions).
D. Gatherings in Enclosed Spaces
•
Responsible Parties must limit groups to 10 or fewer children/campers, excluding employees/staff, in a specific area at any given time.
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Responsible Parties must take reasonable steps to reconfigure space to limit overall density of rooms to 10 or fewer children/campers.
•
Responsible Parties must ensure that different stable groups of up to 10 children/campers have no or minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time, to the greatest extent possible.
•
Responsible Parties must limit in-person gatherings of employees (e.g. breaks, meetings) to the greatest extent possible and use other methods such as video or teleconferencing whenever possible, per CDC guidance “Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”. When videoconferencing or teleconferencing is not possible, Responsible Parties should hold employee/staff meetings in open, well-ventilated spaces and ensure that individuals maintain six feet of social distance between one another (e.g. if there are chairs, leave space between chairs, have individuals sit in alternating chairs).
•
Responsible Parties should keep in-person employee meetings brief and minimize the number of participants while adhering to social distancing rules.
•
Responsible Parties may consider limiting access to or closing non-essential amenities and communal areas that promote gathering or are high-touch (e.g. vending machines, communal coffee machines).
•
Responsible Parties must put in place practices for adequate social distancing in small areas, such as restrooms and breakrooms, and signage and systems (e.g. flagging when occupied) to restrict occupancy when social distancing cannot be maintained in such areas; and
•
Responsible Parties should stagger schedules for their employees to observe social distancing (i.e., six feet of space) for any gathering (e.g. coffee breaks, meals, and shift starts/stops).
E. Workplace Activity •
Responsible Parties must take measures to reduce interpersonal contact and congregation, through methods such as: o
limiting-person presence to only those staff who are necessary to be on site;
o
adjusting workplace hours;
o
reducing on-site workforce to accommodate social distancing guidelines;
o
shifting design (e.g. A/B teams, staggered arrival/departure times);
o
prioritizing tasks that allow for social distancing (e.g. smaller team/classroom activities) over those that do not (e.g. activities that involve multiple teams or different groups of children); and/or
o
avoiding multiple child care or day camp teams working in one area by staggering scheduled tasks and using signs to indicate occupied areas.
F. Movement and Commerce •
Responsible Parties must prohibit non-essential visitors on site, to the extent possible.
•
Responsible Parties must establish designated areas for pickups and deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible.
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o
Responsible Parties must ensure employees/staff practice hand hygiene before and after transferring a delivery (e.g. practice hand hygiene before starting to load items; and once all items have been loaded, finish by practicing hand hygiene again).
•
Responsible Parties should limit on-site interactions (e.g. designate areas for employees leaving their shifts and a separate area for employees starting their shifts, designate an ingress and egress for parents/guardians/caregivers dropping off/picking up their child) and movements (e.g. employees should remain near their designated areas as often as possible).
•
Where feasible, Responsible Parties should limit the number of entrances to (1) manage the flow of people into the facility and (2) facilitate health screenings, as described below, while maintaining compliance with fire and other safety regulations. o
Develop a plan for people to maintain six feet of social distance while waiting inside or outside of the facility or site for screening, as applicable.
II. PLACES A. Protective Equipment •
In addition to the necessary PPE as required for certain child care and day camp activities, Responsible Parties must procure, fashion, or otherwise obtain acceptable face coverings, and provide such coverings to their employees while at work at no cost to the employee. An adequate supply of face coverings, masks and other required PPE should be on hand in the event an employee needs a replacement. Acceptable face coverings include, but are not limited to, cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana), surgical masks, N95 respirators, and face shields. o
Responsible Parties must work with any entities with which they have contracted to agree upon who will provide PPE to contractors or vendors who are physically present on site.
•
Face coverings must be cleaned or replaced after use and may not be shared. Please consult the CDC guidance for additional information on cloth face coverings and other types of PPE well as instructions on use and cleaning.
•
Responsible Parties must allow their employees to use their own acceptable face coverings but cannot require their employees to supply their own face coverings. Further, this guidance shall not prevent employees from wearing their personally owned additional protective coverings (e.g. surgical masks, N95 respirators, or face shields), or if the Responsible Parties otherwise requires employees to wear more protective PPE due to the nature of their work. Employers should comply with all applicable OSHA standards.
•
Responsible Parties must train their employees on how to adequately put on, take off, clean (as applicable), and discard PPE, including but not limited to, appropriate face coverings.
•
Responsible Parties must put in place reasonable measures to limit the sharing of objects, such as electronic equipment, arts and craft materials, touchscreens, as well as the touching of shared surfaces; or, require employees to wear gloves (trade-appropriate or medical) when in contact with shared objects or frequently touched surfaces; or, require workers and children/campers to practice hand hygiene before and after contact.
•
Responsible Parties should consider installing physical barriers at reception and security desks.
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o
As mentioned above, physical barriers (e.g. plexiglass or similar materials) should be put in place with accordance with OSHA guidelines.
C. Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection •
Responsible Parties must ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and DOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19,” and the “STOP THE SPREAD” poster, as applicable. Responsible Parties must maintain logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection.
•
Employees/staff and children/campers must perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering the program.
•
Responsible Parties must provide and maintain hand hygiene stations on site, as follows: o
For handwashing: soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels.
o
For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where handwashing facilities may not be available or practical.
o
Make hand sanitizer available throughout common areas on site. It should be placed in convenient locations, such as at entrances, exits, elevators, and security/reception desks.
•
Responsible Parties should place signage near hand sanitizer stations indicating that visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and water; hand sanitizer is not effective on visibly soiled hands.
•
Responsible Parties should place receptacles around the facility for disposal of soiled items, including PPE.
•
Responsible Parties must require children and staff to practice hand hygiene: o
Upon arrival to the first program activity;
o
Between all program activities;
o
After using the restroom;
o
Before eating; and,
o
Before departing the last program activity.
•
Responsible Parties must provide appropriate cleaning and disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, multi-seat strollers, handrails, toys, art supplies, areas where children eat) and encourage their employees to use these supplies following manufacturer’s instructions for use before and after use of these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.
•
Responsible Parties must conduct regular cleaning and disinfection of the site and more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high risk areas (e.g. common areas, doorknobs, handrails, bathrooms, kitchens) used by many individuals and for frequently touched surfaces. Cleaning and disinfection must be rigorous and ongoing and should occur at least after each shift, daily, or more frequently as needed. Please refer to DOH’s “Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19” for detailed instructions on how to clean and disinfect facilities. o
Responsible Parties must ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms. Restrooms should be cleaned and disinfected more often depending on frequency of use. ▪
Responsible Parties must ensure distancing rules are adhered to by using signage, occupied markers, or other methods to reduce reducing restroom capacity where feasible.
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o
Responsible Parties must ensure that equipment and toys are regularly cleaned and disinfected using registered disinfectants, please consult the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) list of products registered in New York State and identified by the EPA as effective against COVID-19.
o
Responsible Parties must implement measures that limit children/campers from using toys that cannot be cleaned and sanitized, (e.g. soft toys, dress-up clothes, puppets). ▪
•
Responsible parties must strongly encourage children not to bring in toys from home. Should a toy from home be brought to the child care or day camp facility or area, Responsible Parties must ensure that children do not share the toy with others.
o
Responsible Parties must implement measure to limit sharing of personal items between children/campers by keeping each child’s or camper’s belongings separated from others’ and in individually labeled containers or areas and ensure they are taken home and cleaned and disinfected regularly, as possible.
o
For child care or day camp programs that offer a rest period (e.g., nap) for children or campers, Responsible Parties must make individual clean bed coverings available for each child/camper requiring a rest period. Bedding, which is the removable and washable portion of the sleeping environment, must not be shared between children unless cleaned and disinfected. Sleeping surfaces, including bedding, must not come in contact with the sleeping surfaces of another child’s rest equipment during storage. Mats and cots must be stored so that the sleeping surfaces do not touch when stacked.
o
If cleaning and disinfection products or the act of cleaning and disinfecting causes safety hazards or degrades the material or electronics, Responsible Parties must put in place hand hygiene stations between use and/or supple disposable gloves and/or limitations on the number of employees using such electronics.
o
Responsible Parties must provide for the cleaning and disinfection of exposed areas in the event an individual is confirmed to have a positive case of COVID-19, with such cleaning and disinfection to include, at a minimum, all heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g. dining areas, handrails, door handles).
CDC guidelines on “Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility” if someone is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 infection are as follows: o
Close off areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 who is sick. ▪
Affected areas need to be closed off and cleaned and disinfected.
▪
Shared building spaces used by the individual must also be shut down, cleaned and disinfected (e.g. elevators, lobbies, outdoor common space).
o
Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area, to the extent practicable while maintaining all health and safety standards.
o
Wait 24 hours before you clean or and disinfect. If 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible.
o
Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 who is sick, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, and shared equipment.
o
Once the area has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected, it can be reopened for use.
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o
•
▪
Employees without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 who is sick can return to the work area immediately after cleaning and disinfection.
▪
Refer to DOH’s “Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure“ for information on “close or proximate” contacts.
If more than seven days have passed since the person who is sick suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 visited or used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection should continue.
Responsible Parties must prohibit shared food and beverages (e.g. buffet style meals) among employees. If the staff eat separately from the children, Responsible Parties should encourage staff to bring lunch from home, and reserve adequate space for employees to observe social distancing while eating meals.
D. Phased Reopening •
Responsible Parties are encouraged to phase-in reopening activities so as to allow for operational issues to be resolved before production or work activities return to normal levels. Responsible Parties should consider limiting the number of employees’ hours, and number of children/campers available to be served when first reopening so as to provide operations with the ability to adjust to the changes.
•
Responsible Parties should monitor staff absenteeism and have a roster of trained back-up staff, as practicable.
E. Communications Plan •
Responsible Parties must affirm that they have reviewed and understand the state-issued industry guidelines, and that they will implement them.
•
Responsible Parties must train all employees and staff on the applicable precautions and policies contained within this guidance either remotely or in-person, using appropriate social distancing and requiring face coverings for all participants.
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Responsible Parties should train staff on how to support children’s development of good public and individual health behaviors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including hand hygiene and social distancing.
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Responsible Parties should designate a staff person to be responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns. Employees and parent/guardians should know who this person is and how to contact them.
•
Responsible Parties should develop a communications plan for employees, parents/guardians and children/campers that includes applicable instructions, training, signage, and a consistent means to provide employees with information. Responsible Parties may consider developing webpages, text and email groups, and social media.
•
Responsible Parties should encourage individuals to adhere to CDC and DOH guidance regarding the use of PPE, specifically face coverings, through verbal communication and signage, as appropriate.
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Responsible Parties should post signage inside and outside of the facility to remind individuals to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.
III. PROCESSES A. Screening and Testing •
Responsible Parties must instruct staff to stay home if they are sick and remind parents/guardians to keep sick children/campers home. o
•
Staff and parents/guardians should look out for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in children/campers.
Responsible Parties must implement mandatory daily health screening practices of their employees and visitors, such as contractors or vendors. Screening is also mandatory for children/campers, either directly or through their parent/guardian. o
Screening practices may be performed remotely (e.g. by telephone or electronic survey), before the individual reports to the child care or day camp program, to the extent possible; or may be performed on site. ▪
For children/campers arriving to a program via bus transportation and for employees who provide supervision on the bus, screening must be completed prior to boarding the bus, where feasible.
o
Screening should be coordinated to prevent individuals from intermingling in close or proximate contact with each other prior to completion of the screening.
o
At a minimum, screening must be completed using a questionnaire that determines whether the individual has: (a) knowingly been in close or proximate contact in the past 14 days with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19; (b) tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days; and/or (c) has experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
•
Refer to CDC guidance on “Symptoms of Coronavirus,” for the most up to date information on symptoms associated with COVID-19. o
Responsible Parties must require employees to make visual inspections of children/campers, throughout the day, for signs of potential COVID-19 illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.
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Responsible Parties should require employees and parents/guardians to immediately disclose if and when their responses, or responses of their children/camper, to any of the aforementioned questions changes, such as if they begin to experience symptoms, including during or outside of child care or day camp hours.
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The child care or day camp program must prohibit children, staff, and parents/guardians from entering the site, or boarding the bus to the site, if they are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
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In addition to the screening questionnaire, daily temperature checks may also be conducted per U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or DOH guidelines. Responsible Parties are prohibited from keeping records of employee health data (e.g. temperature data).
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Responsible Parties must ensure that any personnel performing screening activities, including temperature checks, are appropriately protected from exposure to potentially infectious individuals seeking to enter the site. Personnel performing screening activities should be trained by employeridentified individuals who are familiar with CDC, DOH, and OSHA protocols.
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Screeners should be provided and use PPE, including at a minimum, a face mask, and may include gloves, a gown, and/or a face shield.
•
An employee, parent/guardian, or child/camper who screens positive for or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 should not be allowed to enter the facility or area, and should be sent home with instructions to contact their healthcare provider for assessment and testing. Responsible Parties must immediately notify the state and local health department about the case if test results are positive for COVID-19. o
Children or campers who are being sent home because of a positive screen (e.g. onset of COVID19 symptoms) must be immediately separated from other children or campers and supervised until their parent/guardian or emergency contact can retrieve them from the program facility or area.
o
Responsible Parties should provide the employee with information on healthcare and testing resources.
•
Responsible Parties should refer to DOH’s “Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure” regarding protocols and policies for employees, parents/guardians, or children/campers seeking to return to work or the site after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after such person has had close or proximate contact with a person suspected or confirmed with COVID-19.
•
Responsible Parties must review all employee and parent/guardian and children responses collected by the screening process on a daily basis and maintain a record of such review. Responsible Parties should designate a central point of contact, which may vary by activity, location, shift or day, responsible for receiving and attesting to having reviewed all employees, parents/guardians’ and children questionnaires, with such contact also identified as the party for employees and visitors to inform if they later are experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms, as noted on the questionnaire. o
Identified point of contact for the site should be prepared to receive notifications of suspected or positive cases and initiate the respective cleaning and disinfection procedures.
•
Responsible Parties must designate a site safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan, for employees.
•
To the extent possible, Responsible Parties should maintain a log of every person, including employees, parents/guardians, children, and any essential visitors who may have close or proximate contact with other individuals at the work site or area; excluding deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means. Log should contain contact information, such that all contacts may be identified, traced and notified in the event an employee, parent/guardian, child or visitor is diagnosed with COVID-19. Responsible Parties must cooperate with state and local health department contact tracing efforts.
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In the event that a parent/guardian of a child/camper in the child care or day camp program must be isolated because they have tested positive for, or exhibited symptoms of, COVID-19, Responsible Parties must advise the parent/guardian that they cannot enter the site for any reason, including picking up their child. o
If the parent/guardian – who is a member of the same household as the child/camper – is exhibiting signs of COVID-19 or has been tested and is positive for the virus, Responsible Parties must utilize an alternate parent/guardian or emergency contact authorized by the parent to come pick up the child. As a “close contact,” the child/camper must not return to the child care or day camp for the duration of the quarantine.
o
If the parent/guardian – who is a member of the same household as the child/camper – is being quarantined as a precautionary measure, without symptoms or a positive test, child care or day camp staff should walk out or deliver the child/camper to the parent/guardian at the boundary of, or outside, the premises. As a “contact of a contact,” the child/camper may return to the child care or day camp during the duration of the quarantine.
o
If a child/camper or their household member becomes symptomatic for COVID-19 and/or tests positive for COVID-19, the child must quarantine and may not return or attend the child care or day camp program until after quarantine is complete.
B. Tracing and Tracking •
Responsible Parties must notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive COVID-19 test result by an employee or child/camper at their site.
•
Responsible Parties must designate a site safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan.
•
In the case of an employees, parent/guardian, or child/camper testing positive, the Responsible Parties must cooperate with the state and local health department as required to trace all contacts in the workplace, and the state and local health department where the site is located must be notified of all individuals who entered the site dating back to 48 hours before the employee, parent/guardian, or child/camper first began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive, whichever is earlier. Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state law and regulations.
•
State and local health departments may, under their legal authority, implement monitoring and movement restrictions of infected or exposed persons including home isolation or quarantine.
•
Individuals who are alerted that they have come into close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19, and have been alerted via tracing, tracking or other mechanism, are required to selfreport to the child care or day camp owner/operator/manager at the time of alert and shall follow the protocol referenced above.
IV. EMPLOYER PLANS Responsible Parties must conspicuously post completed safety plans on site for employees. The State has made available a business reopening safety plan template to guide business owners and operators in developing plans to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Additional safety information, guidelines, and resources are available at:
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New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Website https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus (COVID-19) Website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration COVID-19 Website https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
At the link below, affirm that you have read and understand your obligation to operate in accordance with this guidance: https://forms.ny.gov/s3/ny-forward-affirmation
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Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
APPENDIX E: NEW YORK STATE REOPENING CHILDCARE & SUMMER CAMPS GUIDELINES
www.gnparks.org
This page was last updated June 22, 2020 2:45 PM.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory Physical Distancing
Recommended Best Practices
Any time that employees are less than 6 ft. from each other or interacting with children/campers, they must wear a face covering.
Ensure employees maintain a distance of at least 6 ft. at all times, unless safety of the core activity requires a shorter distance (e.g. jointly responding to the needs of a child).
Ensure employee and children/camper groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of children/campers stay with the same staff whenever and wherever possible. Group size must be limited to no more than 10 children/campers (not including employees/staff).
Restrict/modify the number of work areas and seating areas for employees, so that individuals are at least 6 ft. apart in all directions (e.g. side-to-side and when facing one another).
Ensure that different stable groups of up to 10 children/ campers have no or minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time, to the greatest extent possible.
Reduce bi-directional foot traffic using tape or signs with arrows in narrow aisles, hallways, or spaces, and post signage and distance markers denoting spaces of 6 ft. in commonly used areas and any areas in which lines are commonly formed or people may congregate (e.g. vestibules in large facilities during drop off/pickup).
Implement practices to maintain adequate social distancing in small areas, such as restrooms and breakrooms, and signage and systems (e.g. flagging when occupied) to restrict occupancy when social distancing cannot be maintained in such areas.
Limit on-site interactions (e.g. designate separate ingress/ egress for employees, as well as separate ingress/egress for parents/guardians/caregivers picking up and dropping of their children).
Take reasonable steps to reconfigure space to limit overall density of rooms to 10 or fewer children/ campers.
Put in place measures for child drop-off and pick-up procedures to allow for strict 6 ft. distance between parents/guardians and employees.
Prohibit non-essential visitors on site, to the extent possible.
Stagger arrival and drop-times and, when feasible, have staff receive the child or camper from the parent/ guardian at the beginning of the day and bring the child/ camper out to the parent/guardian at the end of the day, so that parents/guardians don’t have to enter the facility or program area.
Establish designated areas for pick-ups and deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible. Limit in-person gatherings of employees (e.g. breaks, meetings) to the greatest extent possible.
Maintain a staffing plan that does not require employees to “float” between different classrooms or groups of children, unless such rotation is necessary to safely supervise the children/campers due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. staff absence). At nap/rest time, facilitate children to rest at least 6 ft. apart and head-to-toe.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory
Recommended Best Practices On rainy days, set program or activity capacity that allows for appropriate social distancing between stable groups of children/campers, when groups must remain indoors or under shelters (e.g. park pavilions).
Physical Distancing (cont'd)
When caring for young children: • Wear an over-large button-down, long sleeves shirt or smock and put long hair up off the collar in a ponytail or other updo. • Have multiple changes of clothes on hand for employees and children in the program. • Place contaminated clothes in a plastic bag and send home for laundry or wash on premises.
Protective Equipment
Ensure employees wear face coverings any time they are 6 ft. apart from one another, and at all times when interacting with children/campers, regardless of distance.
Install barriers (e.g. plexiglass or similar materials) at reception and security desks, in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
Provide employees with an acceptable face covering at no-cost to the employees and have an adequate supply of coverings in case of need for replacement. Acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana) or surgical masks. Clean, replace, and prohibit sharing of face coverings. Consult the CDC guidance for additional information on cloth face coverings and other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as instructions on use and cleaning and disinfection. Train employees on how to put on, take off, clean (as applicable), and discard PPE. Limit the sharing of objects (e.g. electronic equipment, arts and crafts materials, touch screens) and discourage touching of shared surfaces; or, when in contact with shared objects or frequently touched areas, require employees to wear gloves (trade-appropriate or medical); or, require employees and children/campers to practice hand hygiene before and after contact.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory Child Care Program and Camp Activities
Recommended Best Practices
For pool and aquatic activities: • Ensure face coverings are not worn while in the water; • Keep stable groups of children/campers separated; • Encourage water activities where staff can safely supervise older children/campers in the water without being in the water by themselves. • Ensure appropriate social distancing is kept, to the extent possible; • Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols; • Refer to CDC guidelines.
If transportation occurs: • Ensure that when children are boarding the vehicle, they are occupying seats from back to front, where feasible. • Increase ventilation, when weather permits, within any vehicle (e.g. opening the top hatches of buses or opening windows).
For sport and athletic activities: • Keep stable group of children/campers separated; • Focus on activities with little or no physical contact (e.g. hiking, running); • Encourage sports that involve less physical closeness over those that are close-contactor involve shared equipment; • Encourage activities that are lower risk such as skill-building and conditioning; • Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols; • Refer to CDC guidelines. For food services: • Serve individual portions to children/ campers; • Keep stable groups of children/campers separated; • Stagger mealtimes to reduce occupancy/ congregation; • Separate tables with seating at least 6 ft. apart from other tables, as feasible. Discourage excursions away from programs (e.g. field trips). If transportation occurs, make all reasonable efforts to maintain stable groups of children in vehicles. • If groups of children must be mixed within a vehicle, seating must be arranged to maximize distance between different groups of children/campers and employees. • All individuals (driver, employees, and children) over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face covering must wear face coverings.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection
Recommended Best Practices
Adhere to hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) and maintain logs on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection. Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: handwashing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing is not available/practical. Make hand sanitizer available throughout common areas on site.
Strongly encourage children to not bring toys from home. If staff eat separately from the children, encourage staff to bring lunch from home. Place hand sanitizer in convenient locations (e.g. entrances/exits, security/reception desks). Place signage near hand sanitizer stations indicating that visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and water; hand sanitizer is not effective on visibly soiled hands. Place receptacles around the facility for disposal of soiled items, including PPE.
Employees/staff and children/campers must perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering the program. Require staff and children to practice hygiene in the following instances: • Upon arrival to the first program activity; • Between all program activities; • After using the restroom; • Before eating; and • Before departing the last program activity.
Provide appropriate cleaning/disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, multi-seat strollers, toys, art supplies, areas where children eat), and encourage employees to use these supplies before/after use of these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene. Regularly clean and disinfect equipment and toys using the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) list of products identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective against COVID-19. Limit children/campers from using toys that can’t be cleaned/sanitized (e.g. dress-up clothes, puppets). For programs with rest periods for children/campers, make individual clean bed coverings available for each child/camper, and do not allow bedding to be shared unless cleaned/disinfected.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory
Recommended Best Practices
Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection (cont'd)
Take the following precautionary measures when taking care of young children: • Frequent and thorough hand hygiene for both staff and children/campers. • Whenever a child is soiled with secretions, change the child’s clothes and clean the child, as needed. • When diapering/providing assistance with toileting, wear gloves, wash hands (staff and child), and follow cleaning and disinfection steps between each child. • Refer to CDC guidelines for additional information.
Communication
Affirm you have reviewed and understand the stateissued industry guidelines, and that you will implement them. Train all employees/staff on applicable precautions/ policies in the State’s guidance either remotely or inperson, using appropriate social distancing and requiring face coverings for all participants. Post signage inside and outside of the facility to remind individuals to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
Develop a communications plan for employees, parents/ guardians and children/campers that includes applicable instructions, training, signage, and a consistent means to provide information. Train staff on how to support children’s development of good public health behaviors and social interaction practices in congregate settings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Designate a staff person to be responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns. Employees and parent/guardians should know who this person is and how to contact them.
Conspicuously post completed summary safety plans on site.
Screening
Instruct staff to stay home if they are sick and remind parents/guardians to keep sick children/campers home. Implement mandatory health screening assessment (e.g. questionnaire, temperature check) for employees, visitors (e.g. contractors, vendors), and children/campers, either directly or through their parent/guardian. Screening must ask about (1) COVID-19 symptoms in past 14 days, (2) positive COVID-19 test in past 14 days, and/or (3) close or proximate contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in past 14 days. Responses must be reviewed and documented daily.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
Perform screening remotely (e.g. by telephone or electronic survey) before individuals arrive, to the extent possible. Prevent individuals from intermingling in close or proximate contact with each other prior to completion of the screening, if on site. Screeners should be trained by individuals familiar with CDC, DOH, and OSHA protocols and wear appropriate PPE, including at a minimum, a face covering.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Child Care and Day Camp Programs Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all child care and day camp programs statewide. This guidance does not apply to overnight child care and camp programs, which are not authorized to operate at this time. See “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Day Camp Programs” for full details. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all owners/operators of child care and day camp programs should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to child care program and summer day camp entities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.
Mandatory Screening (cont'd)
Recommended Best Practices
For children/campers arriving to a program via bus transportation and for employees who provide supervision on the bus, screening must be completed prior to boarding the bus, where feasible. In the event that a parent/guardian of a child/camper must be isolated because they have tested positive for, or exhibited symptoms of, COVID-19, the parent/ guardian must be advised that they cannot enter the site for any reason, including picking up their child. • If the parent/guardian – who is the a member of the same household as the child/camper – is exhibiting signs of COVID-19 or has been tested and is positive for the virus, utilize an emergency contact authorized by the parent to come pick up the child. As a “close contact,” the child/camper must not return to the child care or day camp for the duration of the quarantine. • If the parent/guardian– who is the a member of the same household as the child/camper – is being quarantined as a precautionary measure, without symptoms or a positive test, staff should walk out or deliver the child/camper to the parent/guardian at the boundary of, or outside, the premises. As a “contact of a contact” the child/camper may return to the child care or day camp during the duration of the quarantine. • If a child/camper or their household member becomes symptomatic for COVID-19 and/or tests positive, the child must quarantine and may not return or attend the child care or day camp program until after quarantine is complete.
Maintain a continuous log of every person, including employees, parents/guardians, children, and any essential visitors who may have close or proximate contact with other individuals at the work site or area; excluding deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means. Refer to DOH guidance regarding protocols and policies for employees, parents/guardians, or children/campers seeking to return to work or the site after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after such person had close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.
Immediately notify the state and local health department about any positive test result by an employee or child/camper at their site.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
APPENDIX F: NEW YORK STATE SPORTS & RECREATION GUIDELINES
www.gnparks.org
This page was last updated June 22, 2020 2:45 PM.
Reopening New York This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening.
Sports and Recreation Guidelines
These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Risk Profiles Higher-Risk Sports
Moderate-Risk Sports
Description
Type of Play Allowed
Least ability to maintain physical distance and/or be done individually
Football
Volleyball
Wrestling
Competitive cheer/dance
Least ability to: 1. avoid touching of shared equipment, 2. clean/disinfect equipment between uses by different individuals, or 3. not use shared equipment at all
Ice hockey
Organized no/low-contact group training (e.g. sport camps and clinics)
Rugby
Competitive team practices
Basketball
Games, meets, matches, scrimmages (e.g. organized leagues, pick-up sports)
Limited ability to maintain physical distance and/or be done individually
Baseball/ Softball
Crew (2+ rowers)
Doubles tennis
Rafting
Racket games (e.g. badminton, racquetball)
Paintball
Water polo
Non-contact lacrosse
Limited ability to: 1. avoid touching of shared equipment, 2. clean/disinfect equipment between uses by different individuals, or 3. not use shared equipment at all
Lower-Risk Sports
Sports (Non-Exhaustive)
Greatest ability to maintain physical distance and/or be done individually Greatest ability to: 1. avoid touching of shared equipment, 2. clean/disinfect equipment between uses by different individuals, or 3. not use shared equipment at all
STAY HOME.
Individual or distanced group training or activities
Contact lacrosse Competitive tournaments of multiple games, meets, matches, or scrimmages requiring travel
Individual or distanced group training or activities
Soccer Organized no/low-contact group training (e.g. sport camps and clinics)
Gymnastics Field hockey Competitive team practices Swimming relays Individual running
Individual swimming
Batting cages
Individual crew
Hunting/ Shooting/ Archery
Cross country running
Golf/Mini-golf Non-motorized boating Singles tennis Rock climbing
Toss/bowl games (e.g. horseshoes, bocce, bean bag toss) Flying disc games (e.g. disc golf, frisbee)
Games, meets, matches, scrimmages (e.g. organized leagues, pick-up sports)
Competitive tournaments of multiple games, meets, matches, or scrimmages requiring travel.
Ropes courses
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Sports and Recreation Guidelines
This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening. These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Mandatory Physical Distancing
Recommended Best Practices
For any indoor sport or recreational activity, limit capacity to no more than 50% of the maximum occupancy for a particular area, inclusive of employees, patrons/players/spectators. No more than 2 spectators per player. Ensure 6 ft. distance between individuals at all times, whether indoors or outdoors, unless safety or core activity (e.g. practicing, playing) requires a shorter distance. If a shorter distance is required, individuals must wear face coverings, unless players are unable to tolerate such a covering for the physical activity (practicing, playing); provided, however, that coaches, trainers, and/or other individuals who are not directly engaged in activity are required to wear face coverings. Employees at check-in/appointment desks must maintain six feet from other individuals, unless there is a physical barrier between them. Any time employees interact with patrons/players/spectators, they must wear acceptable face coverings.
Stagger schedules for patrons/players and/or teams to utilize facilities. Enact physical barriers (e.g. plastic shielding walls) at appointment desks, where they would not impair air flow, heating, cooling, or ventilation, in accordance with OSHA guidelines. Modify layouts and reduce bi-directional foot traffic of patrons/players/spectators walking through spaces by posting signs with arrows in narrow paths, hallways, or spaces. Prohibit the use of small spaces (e.g. behind cash registers, equipment checkout areas) by more than one individual at a time, unless all individuals are wearing face coverings. Encourage patrons to use touchless payment, pay ahead, or reserve options, when available.
Post signage and distance markers denoting spaces of 6 ft. in all commonly used areas indoors for employees and any areas in which lines are commonly formed or people may congregate (e.g. break rooms, equipment checkout areas, cash register areas, locker rooms).
On-Site Activity
For outdoor fitness classes: •
Limit class sizes in accordance with the social gathering restrictions that are in effect within the region.
•
Ensure patrons maintain a distance of 6 ft. from one another and class instructor(s).
•
Prohibit higher-risk activities where physical contact can’t be continuously avoided (e.g. martial arts, boxing).
Monitor and control the flow of traffic into the facility or area to ensure adherence to maximum capacity requirements.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
For sports/recreation activities that may involve group interaction, use remote check-in where applicable (e.g. to reserve courts, tee times). For outdoor fitness classes:
•
Encourage patrons to bring their own equipment (e.g. yoga mats), or clean/disinfect equipment that is made available for patrons after each use.
•
Implement work-out “shifts” in which individuals sign up for designated times to attend classes and build cohorts that remain consistent (i.e. the same set of people work-out together each time).
•
Discourage hands-on adjustments (e.g. yoga)
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Sports and Recreation Guidelines
This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening. These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Mandatory On-Site Activity
Recommended Best Practices
For any food service activities, follow the food service guidelines applicable to the region.
For golf courses/driving ranges: •
Limit tee times to 4 players, except for members of the same household
•
Restrict use of golf cards to single riders or members of the same household only, unless a physical barrier that doesn’t impede visibility/operation of the cart is in place.
•
Keep golf bags in possession, when possible
•
Prohibit the .use of bunker rakes (except by employees/maintenance staff), ball washers, and water coolers.
•
Permit golf pros on the course, provided they do not touch players and keep 6 ft. distance at all times unless wearing a face covering or separated by a physical barrier.
•
Prohibit common use of tees/scorecards/pencils/ball markers m=among non-household members, unless such items are cleaned/disinfected between use.
•
Only allow club/equipment rentals if cleaned/ disinfected before/after player use.
•
Post messaging/signage to reflect interim rules.
Adjust hours as necessary to enable enhanced cleaning/disinfection procedures. Limit the number of people on walking, running, and hiking trails at any given time by posting signage reminding them to avoid congregating in groups.
Protective Equipment
Ensure individuals not participating in sports or recreation activities (e.g. coaches, spectators) wear appropriate face coverings when they are within less than 6 ft. of other individuals, unless a physical barrier is present. Employees must wear face coverings any time they interact with patrons/ players/spectators, regardless of distance. Provide employees with an acceptable face covering at no-cost to the employee and have an adequate supply of coverings in case of need for replacement.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Sports and Recreation Guidelines
This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening. These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Mandatory Protective Equipment
Recommended Best Practices
Acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana) or surgical masks. Clean, replace, and prohibit sharing of face coverings. Consult the CDC guidance for additional information on cloth face coverings and other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as instructions on use and cleaning and disinfection. Train workers on how to don, doff, clean (as applicable), and discard PPE. Limit the sharing of objects (e.g. equipment) and discourage touching of shared surfaces (e.g. cash registers); or, when in contact with shared objects or frequently touched areas, wear gloves (tradeappropriate or medical); or, sanitize or wash hands before and after contact.
Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection
Adhere to hygiene and sanitation requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) and maintain cleaning logs on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning. Provide and maintain hand hygiene station, including handwashing with soap, water, and paper towels, as well as an alcohol based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing is not feasible. Hand sanitizer must be place throughout the site for use by employees and patrons/players/spectators. Provide and encourage employees to use cleaning/disinfecting supplies before and after use of shared and frequently touched surfaces, followed by hand hygiene. Prohibit employees from sharing food and beverages (e.g. buffet styles meals), encourage bringing lunch from home, and reserve adequate space for employees to observe social distancing while eating meals.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Sports and Recreation Guidelines
This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening. These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Mandatory Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection (cont'd)
Recommended Best Practices
Conduct regular cleaning and disinfection and more frequent cleaning and disinfection of shared objects and surfaces, as well as high transit areas, such as payment devices, pickup areas, restrooms, common areas, using Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) products identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective against COVID-19. If cleaning or disinfection products or the act of cleaning and disinfection causes safety hazards or degrades the material or machinery, personnel should have access to a hand hygiene station between use and/or be supplied with disposable gloves.
Communication
Affirm you have reviewed and understand the stateissued industry guidelines, and that you will adhere to them.
In partnership with community organizations, leagues, etc., establish a communication plan for employees, visitors, and clients with a consistent means to provide updated information.
Post signage inside and outside of the facility or area to remind personnel and patrons/players/spectators to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfection protocols. Conspicuously post completed safety plans on site.
Screening
Implement mandatory health screening assessment (e.g. questionnaire, temperature check) for employees and, where practicable, vendors, but do not mandate for patrons/players/spectators or delivery personnel. At minimum, screening must determine whether the worker or vendor has had: (1) COVID-19 symptoms in past 14 days, (2) positive COVID-19 test in past 14 days, and/or (3) close or proximate contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in past 14 days. Assessment responses must be reviewed every day and such review must be documented.
Perform screening remotely (e.g. by telephone or electronic survey), before reporting to the location, to the extent possible. On-site screeners should be trained by employeridentified individuals familiar with CDC, DOH, and OSHA protocols and wear appropriate PPE, including at a minimum, a face covering. Refer to DOH guidance regarding protocols and policies for employees seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after the employee had close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.
Designate a site safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Reopening New York Sports and Recreation Guidelines
This guidance is effective immediately for the statewide permitted outdoor, low-risk recreational activities, as determined by the Empire State Development Corporation. For all other sports and recreational activities described herein, this guidance is effective on July 6, 2020 in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening. These guidelines also apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities conducted by gyms/ fitness centers/training facilities. However, such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the nonessential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region; and such facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all reaction businesses/leagues/organizations should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to sports and recreational activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards. For more information, see “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Sports and Recreation.”
Mandatory
Recommended Best Practices Maintain a continuous log of every person, including employees, who may have close or proximate contact with other individuals at the work site or area; excluding patrons/players/spectators and deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means.
Screening (cont’d)
Encourage – but do not require – patrons/players/spectators to complete a health screen and provide contact information so that they can be logged and contacted for contact tracing, if necessary.
STAY HOME.
STOP THE SPREAD.
SAVE LIVES.
Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
APPENDIX G: NEW YORK STATE INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR POOLS AND RECREATIONAL AQUATIC SPRAY GROUNDS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
www.gnparks.org
This page was last updated June 22, 2020 2:45 PM.
June 11, 2020
Interim Guidance for Pools and Recreational Aquatic Spray Grounds During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Background Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) continues to monitor the public health situation to inform the State’s response activities and reopening approach. In accordance with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s New York Forward data-driven, phased strategy to safeguard the health and well-being of New Yorkers, NYSDOH provides this interim guidance for the public and private owners and operators of pools and recreational aquatic spray grounds, including but not limited to cities, villages, towns, campgrounds, children’s camps, day cares, hotels, assisted living facilities, schools, colleges, universities, mobile home parks, homeowners’ associations, and apartment complexes. This guidance does not apply to private homeowner’s pools. For owners and operators that also provide other activities on premise (e.g. food service, retail, etc.), they must consult and adhere to guidance set forth on the New York Forward website as it applies to their operations. Guidance for Pools and Aquatic Spray Grounds All indoor and outdoor swimming pools and recreational aquatic spray grounds that are subject to the operating conditions defined in New York State Sanitary Code are permitted to operate for members of the public during the COVID-19 public health emergency so long as the owners/operators adhere to any applicable Executive Orders and the following NYSDOH restrictions: • Ensure that all individuals maintain a distance of at least six feet from other individuals at all times, unless they are members of the same household or family unit, or safety or the core activity requires a shorter distance. o However, any time individuals are within six feet of individuals outside of their household or family unit and not in the water, they must wear an acceptable face covering that covers both the nose and mouth. Individuals must be prepared to don a face covering if another person unexpectedly comes within six feet. • For health and safety concerns, ensure face coverings are not worn by individuals while they are in the water; • Limit the maximum size of any single group of people on the premise or in the water to 10 or fewer individuals; however, there may be more than one group on premise or in water so long as they are able to be separated by at least six feet; o Occupancy of the premise and pool should be limited to the number of individuals and groups who can be safely and appropriate spaced such that each individual and group is at least six feet away from others.
•
•
•
• •
Ensure different groups of people are separated by at least six feet on the premise or in the water, to the extent possible; o However, if physical barriers are used to separate groups of individuals, they must not present a health or safety risk by obstructing supervision or impairing air flow, heating, cooling, or ventilation. Provide supplies for proper hand and respiratory hygiene, including soap, running water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where handwashing facilities may not be available or practical; and tissues and trash receptacles; Enhance cleaning and disinfection protocols, in compliance with all cleaning and disinfections procedures from NYSDOH, particularly cleaning and disinfection of hightouch areas, including railings, lockers, and chairs, and maintaining logs on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection; Affix social distancing markers using tape or signs that denote six feet of spacing in commonly used and other applicable areas on the site (e.g. entrances, exits); and Post signage throughout the premise to remind individuals to: o stay home if they have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID19 within the last 14 days, or were exposed through close contact to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days, o encourage proper hand and respiratory hygiene, o adhere to social distancing rules, o wear appropriate use of face coverings, and o abide by cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
Additional Resources NYSDOH COVID-19 Website • NYSDOH Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities New York Forward Website • New York Forward Safety Plan Template CDC COVID-19 Website • CDC Considerations for Aquatic Venues
Connecting. Creating. Celebrating.
Great Neck Park District Restarting of Operations Plan
APPENDIX H: DISINFECTANT AND SANTITIZING PRODUCT MATERIAL DATA SHEETS
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This page was last updated June 22, 2020 2:45 PM.
6/20/2020
NABC® Concentrate 1 | Spartan Chemical
PRODUCTS CLEAN ON THE GO®
NABC® CONCENTRATE 1 (471602)
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NABC® Concentrate 1 | Spartan Chemical
PRODUCT DETAILS NABC Concentrate is a broad range germicidal cleaner-disinfectant concentrate specifically designed to clean and disinfect toilet bowls, urinals and other hard, nonporous restroom surfaces. NABC concentrate's pleasant and unique light floral fragrance incorporates an odor-killing component to deodorize toilet bowls, urinals and surrounding areas. COLOR
Blue
DILUTION
2 oz./gal.
EPA REGISTRATION NUMBER
5741-20
PH
5.0 - 6.0
SCENT
Floral
How to Buy
PACKAGING VARIATIONS PRODUCT CODE
BAR CODE
SIZE
471602
10753727029096
2 LITER 4/CS
This product cannot be shipped to the following countries: Canada
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/471602/
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NABC® Concentrate 1 | Spartan Chemical
SAFETY (SDS) US
English SDS PDF
Spanish SDS PDF
French SDS PDF
User Prepared Solution Safety Summary Sheets
English
Spanish
French PDF
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/471602/
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NABC® Concentrate 1 | Spartan Chemical
LITERATURE AND RESOURCES Product Literature
Ingredient Communication Statement
NABC Concentrate 1 Efficacy Bulletin.pdf PDF
EMAIL EMAIL
Letter of Continuing Guaranty PDF
L3000_GroceryCheck.pdf PDF
NABC Concentrate User COG Prepared Sol. Label
L0019_Clean_on_the_Go_Liter… PDF
Product Specification Sheet PDF
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How to Buy
https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/471602/
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NABC® Concentrate 1 | Spartan Chemical
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How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/471602/
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BioRenewables® Glass Cleaner 18 | Spartan Chemical
PRODUCTS BIORENEWABLES®
BIORENEWABLES® GLASS CLEANER 18 (483502)
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/483502/
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BioRenewables® Glass Cleaner 18 | Spartan Chemical
PRODUCT DETAILS BioRenewables Glass Cleaner is a concentrated, bio-based product designed to clean mirrors, glass, and Plexiglas® surfaces as well as remove tough soils such as: grease, smoke, oils, and dirt. The simple spray on and wipe off formula can be used to clean and polish any hard surface not harmed by water such as: windows, mirrors, countertops, chrome, automobile glass, and any other glass or mirror finish. COLOR
Light Blue
DILUTION
2 oz./gal.
PH
8.0 - 9.0
SCENT
Waterfall
Certifications GREEN SEAL CERTIFIED PRODUCT
How to Buy
PACKAGING VARIATIONS PRODUCT CODE
BAR CODE
SIZE
483502
10753727048226
2 LITER 4/CS
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/483502/
2/5
6/20/2020
BioRenewables® Glass Cleaner 18 | Spartan Chemical
SAFETY (SDS) US
English SDS PDF
Spanish SDS PDF
French SDS PDF
Canada
English SDS PDF
French SDS
Spanish SDS PDF
User Prepared Solution Safety Summary Sheets
English PDF
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/483502/
3/5
6/20/2020
BioRenewables® Glass Cleaner 18 | Spartan Chemical
LITERATURE AND RESOURCES Product Literature
Ingredient Communication Statement
Letter of Continuing Guaranty PDF
Green Seal Certificate PDF
L3000_GroceryCheck.pdf PDF
EMAIL EMAIL
L3835_BIORENEWABLES_GLA… PDF
On The Go BioRenewables Clean Glass Cleaner User Prepared Solution Label PDF
L0006_BioRenewables_Literat… PDF
L0163_Sustainable_Products_Li… PDF
L0019_Clean_on_the_Go_Liter… PDF
L0071_HealthCheck_Longterm_Care_Lit.pdf PDF
Attention Distributors https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/483502/
How to Buy 4/5
6/20/2020
BioRenewables® Glass Cleaner 18 | Spartan Chemical
Additional Literature may be available to you. Please login to access. Login
Facilities
Distributors
Programs
SDS
Solutions
How to Buy
Products
About
Connect with us:
Home | Login | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | CA CC § 1714.43 Copyright © 2020. Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
How to Buy https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/product/483502/
5/5