Upper Manhattan, Staten Island Are Now COVID Yellow & Orange Zones

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday that as expected, parts of upper Manhattan, Staten Island and other areas of New York state will go to yellow, orange and red zones starting this week.

Upper Manhattan, which includes Washington Heights and the zip codes 10031, 10032, 10033, is now in a yellow zone, with a 3.3% coronavirus testing positivity rate, according to state data. Staten Island is now partially a yellow zone and partially an orange zone.

"Staten Island is a problem," Cuomo said. "The number of hospitalizations on Staten Island have gone, over the last three weeks, they've basically tripled, 33 to 91." Because of a hospital capacity issue, the state will open an emergency facility for COVID patients at South Beach.

You can see the specific areas affected in the maps below.

According to the latest state data, there have been 1,497 new COVID hospitalizations in the last three weeks, a 122% increase. He projected that at the same rate of increase—which doesn't take into account any possible Thanksgiving spike—the state will have 6,047 hospitalizations three weeks from now.

The statewide positive test rate is 2.93% as of Monday. Since last week, following comments from both Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, the city has been bracing to become an orange zone, which would mean an end to indoor dining, and additional restrictions on other in-person activities. That announcement is still expected to come if the positive test rate continues on its current trajectory. Cuomo's threshold for orange zone status in NYC is a positivity rate of 3% or higher on a 7-day rolling average for 10 consecutive days, according to the state's data, which differs somewhat from the city's data.

In addition, Hampton Bays, Riverhead, Great Neck, Massapequa Park on Long Island are all yellow zones now. Parts of Onondaga and Monroe in the Finger Lakes and Central NY will become yellow and orange zones.

Cuomo also said state health officials are projecting that large parts of Westchester, including New Rochelle, Tarrytown, Yonkers, Port Chester, Ossining, and Peekskill, are all on track to become orange or red zones soon. Also on "warning tracks": Buffalo and surrounding areas in Erie County are on track to become red zones; Newburgh and New Windsor in Orange County are on track to become orange zones; Brewster in Putnam County is on track to become a yellow zone; and Victor in Ontario County is on track to become a yellow zone.

In a yellow zone, which is defined at 2.5% infection rate in NYC (and 3-4% outside the city), a maximum of 25 people can gather together indoors and outdoor, houses of worship go down to 50% capacity, indoor and outdoor dining can continue but only with four people per table, schools can stay open with mandatory 20% testing, and other businesses can stay open.

In an orange zone, which is defined by a 3% infection rate in NYC (and 4-5% outside the city), a max 10 people can gather together indoor and outdoor, houses of worship go down to 33% capacity, indoor dining is stopped and outdoor dining can continue only with four people per table, schools go remote (but can reopen if schools are cleaned, students and staff are tested and positivity rate is low), and other non-essential businesses are closed.

And in a red zone, which is defined by a 4% infection rate in NYC (and 5-6% outside the city), mass gatherings are prohibited, houses of worship go down to 25% capacity or 10 people max, all indoor and outdoor dining is stopped (only takeout and delivery are allowed), schools stay remote (but can reopen if schools are cleaned, people are tested and positivity rate is low), and other non-essential businesses are closed.

Cuomo stressed during Monday's press conference that people need to think about the holidays differently this year, relating a conversation he had with his daughter Mariah, who is not coming home for Thanksgiving because of the danger.

"This is not a normal Thanksgiving," he said. "This is a year when we really should be thankful. She's right, this Thanksgiving is more special than most Thanksgivings. It has a deeper meaning. This has been a horrific year, where we have seen the worst in a generation, and we've also seen the best in a generation."

"Let's think of Thanksgiving as a time to really give thanks to the people who really did phenomenal things this year," he added. "Those doctors and nurses who were just amazing, all the essential workers, all the neighbors who went out and shopped for neighbors, all the senior citizens who had the worst year, who couldn't see their families...It’s a better than normal Thanksgiving, it’s a meaningful Thanksgiving."