Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio provide daily press briefings on the status of New York State and New York City’s COVID-19 response. Below, please find highlights of this week’s COVID-19-related updates in New York State and New York City. Please contact Laura Manley at lmanley@manatt.com with any questions.
Governor Andrew Cuomo Press Conference Highlights
Top Line Items From Monday, June 15, to Friday, June 19, 2020:
Friday, June 19
- The Governor announced that New York City will begin Phase 2 of reopening on Monday, June 22.
- The Governor thanked all of those involved in New York State’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including frontline workers, the Army Corps of Engineers, the New York State Legislature, his personal team and many more.
- The Governor played a COVID-19 montage after his address. If you would like to view his final address, it can be found here.
Thursday, June 18
- The Governor announced he is strengthening state enforcement to protect New Yorkers by issuing an Executive Order allowing for the immediate revocation of liquor licenses and the issuance of shutdown orders for businesses that violate reopening rules and guidelines.
- The Governor announced he is signing an Executive Order to give bars the ability and authority to expand the enforcement areas of the State Liquor Authority (SLA) immediately outside of their locations.
- The Governor announced that New York State will soon be issuing guidance to colleges and universities to allow some residential and face-to-face programming for the fall semester. Campuses must develop plans that attest to meeting the guidance and file the plans with the State. (For more information about how Manatt can assist universities during COVID-19, click here.)
Wednesday, June 17
- The Governor announced he is signing legislation to protect the rights of healthcare workers to speak out about improper patient care or workplace safety.
- The Governor announced that New York City will enter Phase 2 of reopening on Monday, June 22; the Hudson Valley will enter Phase 3 of reopening on Tuesday, June 23; and Long Island will enter Phase 3 of reopening on Wednesday, June 24.
Tuesday, June 16
- The Governor announced results from a statewide, random antibody test of 12,000 New Yorkers, with the results showing that as of June 13, 13.4% of the sample tested positive statewide compared with 12.3% as of May 1.
- The Governor announced that as of June 16, visitation will be allowed in hospitals, at the hospitals’ discretion. Additionally, as of June 19, visitation will be allowed at group homes certified by the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). Visitors must wear masks and will be subject to symptom and temperature checks.
Monday, June 15
- The Governor announced that Western New York was on track to begin Phase 3 of reopening on June 16, with the Capital Region beginning Phase 3 on June 17. He also announced that as part of Phase 3, approved gatherings size limits would increase from ten to 25 individuals in all eligible regions.
Mayor de Blasio Press Conference Highlights
Top Line Items From Tuesday, June 16, to Friday, June 19, 2020:
Friday, June 19
- Mayor de Blasio announced that Juneteenth will be an official city and school holiday.
- The Mayor announced the creation of a Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission to identify areas where discrimination continues to manifest in the City and to tear down barriers to true racial equality.
Thursday, June 18
- On Monday, June 22, New York City will start Phase 2 of reopening, which includes the following:
- Offices
- In-store retail
- Outdoor dining
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Real estate
- Vehicle sales, leases and rentals
- Commercial building management
- Retail rental, repair and cleaning
- Playgrounds for children
- Mayor de Blasio signed an Executive Order for the Open Restaurant Initiative to safely expand outdoor dining in the City starting on Monday.
- A rent freeze was passed on June 17 by the Rent Guidelines Board. It will apply to around 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in New York City and more than 2 million renters.
Wednesday, June 17
- The Mayor announced additional testing sites to open by the end of the week, along with mobile testing units available in the Bronx and Staten Island.
Tuesday, June 16
- The Mayor discussed the progress the Test & Trace Corps has made in monitoring New Yorkers—now that the City is conducting over 20,000 tests per day. As a part of the Test & Trace Corps’ efforts, the City announced that $4 million will be awarded to community-based organizations to promote the “Hit Accept” campaign.