New York state continues to reopen certain industries and expand capacity thresholds for gatherings.
Some public health experts have questioned relaxing restrictions but say focusing on reopening certain outdoor gatherings may be a good place to start. Following a six-week plateau, daily case rates are plummeting after the first tranche of eager takers got their shots of COVID-19 vaccines.
Remember "yellow zones"? Those are long gone.
A bar and restaurant curfew is expected to end as soon as next month, and large events have begun again.
The reopening protocols are dizzying and difficult to keep track of, so here's a guide of what to expect in the coming weeks. And for those still keeping stricter personal health precautions than the state allows, here are a few reminders of what’s already open.
May 3rd
Catered events can start at New Yorkers’ homes and include more than the typical residential gathering limit of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced April 28th.
The events must be staffed by a licensed caterer and allowed by any local regulations, as well as include event gathering limits, masks and social distancing.
New Yorkers heading to their favorite dive bar will be able to sit at the bar itself.
May 7th
More people will be permitted to eat or get haircuts without the wind blowing around them, as the indoor limits for dining, salons and barbershops expand to 75% capacity in New York City. Other personal care services will adopt this practice, according to Governor Cuomo's announcement on April 30th. The change brings New York City in line with the rules seen elsewhere in New York.
May 15th
Gyms and fitness centers outside of New York City can increase their capacity to 50% from the current 33% restriction, Cuomo announced in late April.
Within the boroughs, indoor fitness classes remain at 33%, with owners required to adhere to cleaning and contract tracing protocols and local health department inspections.
When Cuomo announced indoor fitness classes would return to the city on March 22nd, Mayor Bill de Blasio balked, accusing the governor of using the decision to distract from the nursing home and sexual harassment scandals. At the time, cases remained stubbornly high, and city health officials questioned the safety of the classes.
Also, on May 15th: Casinos and gaming facilities’ capacity will rise from 25% to 50%.
Offices can increase workers on-site from half-capacity to three-quarters.
May 17th
A curfew on bars and restaurants—which Cuomo just pushed from 11 p.m. to midnight—will be scrapped altogether in outdoor areas.
A 1 a.m. curfew for catered events with proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test will also be lifted.
By the month’s end, that all changes again. See below.
May 19th
Large outdoor event venues can increase their capacity from 20% to 33%. That includes professional and college sports as well as live performing arts and entertainment.
Smaller venues were opened on April 2nd at 33%, with a cap of up to 150 people indoors and 500 people outdoors with testing and vaccination requirements in place. Without those measures, the venue limit drops to 100 people indoors or 200 outdoors.
Shakespeare in the Park will return under these guidelines on July 5th. Some indoor venue owners voiced feeling unsure about this timeline back in March. They said following protocols around testing, keeping staff safe and making capacity restrictions financially feasible is challenging.
May 31st
The midnight curfew in indoor areas at bars and restaurants will end, in addition to the curfew for all catered events.
July 1st
Mayor de Blasio wants to fully reopen the five boroughs. The decision is still largely up to Cuomo.
What else do I need to know?
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance for fully vaccinated people. New York officials made it state policy.
- The state legislature repealed Governor Cuomo’s executive order requiring food to be purchased with alcoholic beverages on April 28th. City Hall spokesperson Mitch Schwartz said “good riddance” to the rule.
- Another 51,000 students returned to classrooms on April 26th for blended learning, joining about 327,000 students in grades 3K through 12th who are already participating. That tally is still less than 40% of the public school system.
- Subways remain closed for surface cleaning from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Below are earlier changes we covered on March 21st.
March 22nd
New York City’s indoor fitness classes resumed statewide at 33% capacity.
Restrictions based on case rates—called "yellow zones"— lifted in parts of the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. These cluster zones had been located in the eastern and western parts of the Bronx, Manhattan, as well as Kew Gardens and Forest Hills in Queens.
Yellow zones required that restaurants only hold four people at a table indoors and outdoors as well as keep houses of worship to 50% of the maximum capacity. Business owners in the districts felt forgotten, as yellow zones hadn't been updated since late January, NY1 reported in mid-March.
In public places, gatherings rose from 50 people to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors beginning Monday.
At residences, outdoor meetups rose to 25 people but remain at 10 people indoors.
April 1st
In-person baseball games returned for Mets and Yankees fans. Attendees had to show proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.
April 5th
The state lifted an 11 p.m. curfew for casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, billiards halls, and gyms and fitness centers.
COVID-19 restrictions are frequently shifting as the state's progress on the pandemic changes. We'll update when new announcements are made. This article was last updated on April 30th. It was originally published March 21st.
