New York City Begins to Reopen After Coronavirus

Michele Mirman | News | June 18, 2020

Prevention of the pandemic virus outbreak

It has been more than 100 days since NYC had its first COVID-19 case confirmed. More than 210,000 people would become infected with coronavirus and almost 22,000 people would die. However, after three months of being shut down, New York City begins to take the first steps to reopen after the coronavirus pandemic began.

Some businesses were allowed to reopen, and thousands of individuals were allowed to return to work. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost during the shutdown, and some businesses may never reopen. It will be a slow process to reopen and recover fully from COVID-19.

Officials are cautious and watching the numbers. Cities and states throughout the country, especially in the southeast, that rushed to reopen are seeing sharp rises in the number of new COVID-19 cases. New York City officials and state agencies will monitor NYC during the phased reopening for any signs of a resurgence in the number of new coronavirus cases.

How Does New York City’s Reopening Look?

Several things took place on day one of NYC’s reopening after the coronavirus shutdown. To help people feel safe about riding New York City’s subway system, Gov. Cuomo took the subway to his office near Grand Central.

The city is adding additional bus lanes and closing some streets to cars to allow buses to move quickly throughout the city. These additional transportation alternatives are hoped to help the city reopen smoothly.

Because the need for hospital beds for COVID-19 patients has decreased, hospitals may now offer elective surgery again. Fifth Avenue stores are beginning to reopen for in-store pickup and curbside shopping.

During Phase One of the reopening in NYC, the following businesses are permitted to reopen:

  • Construction
  • Fishing, Hunting, Forestry, and Agriculture
  • Retail (Restricted to curbside and in-store pickup)
  • Manufacturing
  • Wholesale Trading

Businesses can use the NY Forward Business Reopening Lookup tool to determine if they are eligible to reopen based on the health metrics for their specific region.

Controlling and Monitoring New Infections of COVID-19

The control of the rate of transmission of COVID-19 is essential for a successful reopening of New York City. There are several healthcare metrics that officials closely monitor during the reopening. Before reopening, the city needed to experience a decline in total hospitalizations, new hospitalizations, and deaths.

Officials also closely monitor the hospital bed and ICU bed capacity during the reopening. Testing and tracing are also necessary. Diagnostic testing capacity and contact tracing capacity are crucial to controlling the virus.

Guidelines for Reopening in New York City

Businesses that remained open during the COVID-19 shutdown and businesses allowed to reopen must develop a Safety Plan. Businesses are not required to submit the Safety Plan for approval, but the plan must remain on the premises and available for inspection by local health or safety authorities and the New York State Department of Health.

Individuals and businesses must continue to take steps to prevent the transmission of the virus as the city reopens.

During Phase One of the reopening, individuals should:

  • Avoid socializing in groups of more than ten people.
  • Maximize social distancing.
  • Minimize non-essential travel.
  • Continue to follow healthcare guidelines for slowing transmission, such as wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and staying home when sick.
  • Vulnerable individuals should continue to shelter in place.

During Phase One of the reopening, businesses should:

  • Encourage individuals to telework when possible.
  • Return to work in phases.
  • Close common areas.
  • Gyms may reopen during Phase One under strict protocols.
  • Large venues may reopen during Phase One under strict protocols.
  • All businesses must follow the requirements for reopening and remaining reopen moving forward.

COVID-19 Is Disruptive for Everyone

The coronavirus has impacted everyone. Our lives have changed. The way we do business has changed.

However, things are beginning to normalize as New York City reopens. During the reopening, it is important to remember that accidents can happen. Traffic accidents, construction accidents, and other injuries may increase again as increasing numbers of businesses reopen, and people begin leaving home more often.

When an injury occurs, a person may not know what to do. Do they go to the emergency room or do they call a doctor? That depends on the severity of the injuries.

How do they file injury claims? Courts remain closed except for emergency filings. Insurance companies are only available online or by telephone.

Contacting a personal injury lawyer may be the best way to handle an injury during the reopening. An attorney has the resources to begin investigating the matter and file the necessary claims to protect your legal rights.

Your lawyer takes the steps necessary to help you recover compensation for your injuries and damages even though the process for filing and settling claims may be slightly different as we continue to reopen New York City after COVID-19.

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