Interstate Travel Advisory

At a press conference today, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and announced a “joint incoming travel advisory.”  The travel advisory would affect all individuals traveling from states with “significant community spread” of COVID-19, requiring them to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state. In this case the term “significant community spread” would be defined as “a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.”

Currently the travel advisory would affect travelers from the following states:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• Florida
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Washington
• Utah
• Texas

The travel advisory takes effect at midnight this evening.

Phase 4

Today Governor Cuomo announced that five upstate regions will be eligible to move on to Phase 4 this coming Friday, June 26. The regions, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, and the North Country will be allowed to have social gatherings of up to 50 people, which is an increase from the 25 people currently allowed in Phase 3.

The Governor also indicated there is still a hold on the opening of locations like malls and gyms in Phase 4 as they continue to look deeper into the possible effect of infection spread via air conditioning systems. Additionally in Phase 4, indoor religious gatherings will be allowed to increase from 25% occupancy during services up to 33%.

New York City

Mayor de Blasio today announced the city is facing a $9 Billion deficit.  After cutting $2 Billion from the city budget, the administration is seeking to cut an additional $1 Billion by working with the city employee unions to find cost savings. 

The City will expand the “Cool It! NYC” program to help New Yorkers beat the heat this summer. In addition to installing air conditioners for low-income seniors, the City will expand the number of outdoor cooling elements available for New Yorkers to enjoy during extreme heat and refine existing programs to better serve residents in heat challenged areas.

Mayor de Blasio announced the July 4^th Macy’s fireworks will be spread out across NYC beginning on June 29^th through July 4^th. The Mayor and Macy’s announced that from Monday, June 29 through Saturday, July 4, Macy’s Fireworks displays will launch unannounced on select evenings across New York City. Each 5-minute display will feature Macy’s signature pyrotechnic scale with thousands of shells reaching heights up to 1,000 feet. The displays will be launched from one or two land or water based locations over the course of the week-long celebration covering every borough of New York City. A finale will be televised on July 4^th beginning at 8pm.

New York City will begin to amend Alternate Side Parking(ASP) regulations beginning Monday, June 29^th.  City streets will be cleaned no more than once a week. ASP is currently suspended through Sunday June 28^th. Streets with multiple ASP days will be cleaned on the latest day posted on the street sign. The City will resume ASP next week and decide each week thereafter what ASP rules will be administered.

New York State COVID-19 Numbers

New York State is still maintaining the lowest number of hospitalizations and deaths since the pandemic began.  With this in mind, there still were 17 deaths yesterday from COVID-19, bringing the three day average up a tick to 18.