You are reading

City Must Close Nonessential Businesses and Issue Other Restrictions in COVID Clusters by Friday: Cuomo

Governor Andrew Cuomo displayed a map of the Queens COVID clusters

Oct. 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan today to close nonessential businesses and enforce other restrictions in COVID-19 clusters popping up statewide.

The news came after Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would close down the businesses in hotspot ZIP codes — including Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills and Far Rockaway — as early as tomorrow once the governor gave the okay.

However, Cuomo’s plan relies on COVID-19 testing data instead of ZIP codes. He has categorized areas in and near hotspots into three colors and levels of restrictions — red, orange and yellow.

Nonessential businesses in red areas — which have the highest density of cases — will close as early as tomorrow. Cuomo said local governments will make the call as to when the implement the closures and additional regulations. They can decide to close the businesses as early as tomorrow, but must do so by Friday.

Parts of Kew Gardens, Briarwood, Kew Gardens Hills, Forest Hills and Rego Park are within one red zone in Queens, according to a map released by the governor. A second red zone cluster encompasses much of Far Rockaway.

De Blasio has yet to announce when he will close nonessential businesses in the above neighborhoods and implement the additional measures. This morning he said he was prepared to shut them down based on ZIP codes by Wednesday morning, however the state’s last minute release of the map zones could delay the closures.

The mayor’s press secretary said the city will likely implement the closures and restrictions on Thursday, as they do outreach to the affected communities tomorrow.

In addition to business closures, neighborhoods in the red zones must abide by a number of new restrictions as well.  Restaurants in red zones will be limited to takeout only, mass gatherings are prohibited and houses of worship will be limited to 10 people maximum.

Schools in both the red and orange zones must close if they haven’t already today. De Blasio’s press secretary said any necessary changes to school closures or openings will happen Thursday.

Orange areas are just outside the main cluster and are in danger of the virus spreading to them, Cuomo said. High risk nonessential businesses, such as gyms and personal care services, along with indoor dining will close within the orange zone. Houses of worship in the orange zone can have 25 people max in their ceremonies.

The yellow zone, “a precautionary zone,” is the furthest ring and has the least restrictions. All businesses will remain open, as well as schools and indoor dining — but with restrictions. Schools must test students and teachers doing in-person learning each week under the state plan.

The restrictions will be in effect for at least two weeks, the governor said.

Other hotspots in the state include a large cluster in Brooklyn and clusters in Binghamton, Orange County and Rockland County.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Native NYer

Drive through any one of those neighborhoods. I did – had to go for work. And guess what? They flout the rules. I saw at least 150 men between South Williamsburg and Crown Heights and NOT ONE MASK. They weren’t even pretending and HOLDING a mask. Those people vote in a block, as a unit and the politicians do not want to touch them and enforce the law because that could/would break their career and get them voted out. If you are a long time NYer, you already know this. It is frustrating as hell, especially when we are dealing with not only our health, but our livelihood.

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Disgraced former Queens Council Member Dan Halloran arrested on child porn charges

Former Queens Council Member Dan Halloran, who was convicted in 2014 for his role in two bribery and corruption schemes and served five years in federal prison, is in trouble with the law again.

Halloran was arrested at Miami International Airport on Saturday, March 29, and charged with possessing child pornography and transporting child pornography after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers inspected his Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and an Apple iPad 6th Generation tablet and discovered several videos of suspected child pornography located in a hidden folder album on the phone’s photos application, according to the criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida.

Southeast Queens man convicted of triple murder in 2022 stabbing rampage that killed girlfriend, her son and cousin: DA

A Jamaica man was convicted at trial Tuesday of murder in the first degree and other crimes for the vicious stabbing deaths of his girlfriend, her son and a visiting cousin during a bloody rampage in June 2022.

Travis Blake, 31, of 155th Street, faces up to life in prison at sentencing following the three-and-a-half-week-long trial. The jury deliberated for just two hours before reaching the guilty verdict in Queens Supreme Court.

Op-ed: The crisis facing immigrant gender-based violence survivors

April 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, Zeinab Eyega and Yasmeen Hamza

As advocates who have dedicated our careers to achieving gender equity and justice, and as the representative of and service providers for some of the most culturally diverse districts in the country, we know firsthand the importance of ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence receive support that speaks to their specific needs. In Queens, where nearly 300 languages and dialects are spoken and we face the third-highest rate of reported domestic violence in New York State, the call for culturally specific services is urgent—and it is time for us to act.