RyeCity REVIEW THE
December 18, 2020 | Vol. 8, Number 51 | www.ryecityreview.com
State adjusts micro-cluster focus zone criteria
PAY ATTENTION The Westchester Department of Emergency Services are providing helpful fire safety tips for county residents this holiday season. For more, see page 6.
Restrictions loosened for gyms, salons in COVID zones Gyms and personal care services such as salons are no longer considered one of the major transmitters of COVID-19, according to the state’s latest public health data. As a result of that, such businesses operating within a COVID-19 micro-cluster Orange Zone can now continue to operate under new restrictions. Gyms and personal care services were originally higher risk environments for viral transmission, but the data shows that the rate of spread has been reduced in businesses that are operating in accordance with the New York State Department of Health’s New York Forward guidance. “We have been setting rules that make sense for everyone, and
it is basically all common sense,” Cuomo said. “We’re also calibrating the risk level of the economic activity to ensure we are respecting public health, while limiting economic disruption to the extent possible. This pandemic has required us to stay nimble from the very beginning and we will continue to follow the data to make smart, informed decisions.” Following the state’s principles of recalibration and balancing public health measures with economic impact, businesses that are within orange zones may operate with additional service restrictions, starting Monday, Dec. 14. Specifically, gyms and fitness centers—which are currently closed in orange zones—will be allowed to operate at 25% capac-
ity, reduced from 33%. Personal care services—for example, salons and barbershops which are also currently closed in orange zones—will be allowed to provide services so long as the employees performing services are tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis, and obtain a negative test result prior to opening. For gyms, in particular, it has been a trying year after being shuttered in mid-March, and only receiving authorization from Cuomo to resume operations in late August. The lengthy closure was due to the belief that gyms and fitness centers were a high source of COVID-19 spread. Therefore, before gyms were allowed to reopen throughout the state, several new protocols
were put into effect. In order to reopen, gyms and fitness centers were required to restrict capacity to 33%; a mandatory mask requirement, at all times, was put into place; members have to provide contact information when signing in and allow for a mandatory health screening; gym goers must maintain 6-feet of social distancing; water fountains were turned off; gyms that offer classes will be by reservation or appointment only; staff must clean and disinfect equipment after every use; cleaning and disinfecting supplies must also be available to customers; and every gym must have their ventilation system of a certain grade. -Reporting by Christian Falcone
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday, Dec. 11, new metrics by which micro-cluster focus zones will be determined to help control COVID-19 spread and protect hospital capacity. Additionally, Cuomo announced new directives to further grow hospital capacity, as well as updated calibrations to business guidelines based on recent Centers for Disease Control, CDC, guidance, advice of public health experts, and data from state’s contact tracing program. Under these calibrated business guidelines, indoor dining in New York City will be suspended on Monday, Dec. 14.“We invested very heavily in doing COVID testing, and we do more testing than any state in the nation. That gives us actual facts that we can base our actions upon,” Cuomo said. “This is not high science we’re applying here—these are common-sense rules. Where the virus is highest, you have to take action. This pandemic has required us to stay nimble from the very beginning and we will continue to follow the data to make smart, informed decisions.” Updated Zone Metrics As New York has grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor and New York State Department of Health have made it a priority to continuously calibrate the metrics governing re-
strictions to protect public health, without causing undue harm to the economy. Under these updated metrics, micro-cluster zones will now be determined as follows: Red Zone A red zone will be implemented in a region where hospital capacity is within 21 days of reaching 90%, even after the cancellation of elective procedures and a 50% increase in bed capacity in hospitals in the region. Orange Zone A geographic area will be eligible to enter an Orange Zone if it has a 4% positivity rate (7-day average) over the last 10 days and it is located in a region that has reached 85% hospital capacity. Alternatively, a geographic area may also become an Orange Zone if the state Department of Health determines the area or region’s rate of hospital admissions is unacceptably high and a zone designation is appropriate to control the rate of growth. Yellow Zone A geographic area will be eligible to enter a Yellow Zone if it has a 3% positivity rate (7day average) over the past 10 days and is in the top 10% in the state for hospital admissions per capita over the past week and is experiencing week-over-week growth in daily admissions. (Submitted)