Monday, Jun. 8 marked Phase One of the City’s reopening plan, part of the New York Forward initiative, as a bit more life was seen in and around Bainbridge Avenue in the Norwood area of the Bronx. Some people were returning to work for the first time since early March when the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard, and a statewide PAUSE order was implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

 

People were seen standing in line, in the morning sunshine, at Chase bank on BainBridge Avenue, adhering to social distancing guidelines, and almost everyone was wearing a mask, an observation confirmed by two NYPD officers stationed at the 205th Street subway exit, who were handing out both masks and hand sanitizers. Face masks were also available from kiosks inside the subways.

 

Given the ongoing tensions between police and demonstrators in recent weeks in the context of nationwide protests against police brutality, one of the officers said that she was just happy if people, at least, responded to them when they wished residents, “Good Morning” as they exited the subway.

 

During a press conference that morning, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was quick to highlight that despite the presence of NYPD officers at various locations on the streets across the City, this did not mean they were there to carry out any particular monitoring. “NYPD is not doing social distancing enforcement – period,” he said. “It’s about free face coverings and education.”

 

Experts fear a rise in the number of coronavirus cases may still be seen in the weeks ahead following the recent widespread protests, given social distancing is difficult to maintain in crowds, and even though most protestors are wearing masks. The Hill reported that Jun. 9, 14 states and Puerto Rico hit the highest seven-day average of new infections.

 

In addition to New York City, Phase One state regions reopening on Monday included Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York.

 

Industry sectors allowed to reopen under Phase One include construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, retail (limited to curbside or in-store pick up or drop off), manufacturing and wholesale trade.

 

To coincide with Phase One reopening, the City’s consumer and worker protection, Small Business Services (SBS), and health departments created “NYC Means Business: Reopen & Stay Safe at Work” palm cards, which contain important guidelines and resources to support workers and businesses through the transition.

 

The guidelines can be accessed by clicking on the following link www.nyc.gov/workers. Information in additional languages will be made available soon. Meanwhile, the SBS Commissioner Jonnel Doris is equipping New York business owners with a new set of resources to help them navigate the recovery and re-opening process.

 

“New York City small businesses are tough and resilient, and as we all work towards re-opening we will provide them with every tool necessary to help them come back,” said Jonnel Doris Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “We are doing all we can to help and rolling out these new resources is a step to ensure these businesses come back stronger than ever.”

The resources include the following:

 

Small Business Hotline

The City has launched a small business hotline to answer the most pressing questions of small business owners as they prepare to re-open. Small Business Advocates and Compliance Advisors will monitor the hotline and have been equipped with the latest guidelines and regulations to share with business owners. To reach the hotline, dial 888-SBS-4NYC or 888-727-4692.

 

Plain Language Industry Guides

As manufacturing, wholesale trade, construction, agriculture and retail businesses prepare to reopen, SBS has published plain language industry guides as a tool for small businesses to adhere to the latest mandatory guidance and to share best practices. For more information on the guides, visit nyc.gov/business.

 

Digital Resource Fairs

SBS is hosting an inter-agency digital resource fair for New York City entrepreneurs looking for the latest up-to-date guidance on recovery and reopening. Representatives from various City agencies will be on hand to answer any questions. SBS and partners will provide information about requirements and guidelines to re-opening, safety plans, financial assistance, regulatory changes, employee support, licensing, inspections and more.

 

Registration for the Inter-agency Small Business Resource Fairs is now open. Please visit http://nycsmallbizcourses.eventbrite.com to sign up for this resource fair and to find all of our digital webinar offerings, which include financial assistance, building a business website and preparing a business for emergencies.

 

 

Face Covering Distribution

Distribution sites for small businesses looking to obtain face coverings, are now open. With the aid of community partners, these materials are being distributed in all five boroughs to help guarantee the health and safety of small businesses and their employees.

 

Business owners are strongly advised to take advantage of these contactless stations if needed. For a list of distribution sites available, visit nyc.gov/business.

 

Meanwhile, according to the National Law Review, New York State has issued industry-specific interim guidance for “Phase 2” businesses, which includes a number of “minimum requirements” certain businesses must meet before reopening their workplaces in light of COVID-19.

 

The new Phase 2 guidance provides specific guidelines relating to office-based jobs (excluding medical offices), real estate services, select in-store retail, commercial building management, retail rental, repair and cleaning services; and vehicle sales, leases and rentals.

 

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo took a subway ride on Jun. 8, chatting with commuters in an apparent bid to show New Yorkers that steps have been taken to ensure the safety of both riders and MTA workers. Since May 6, 30,000 subway stations and 500,000 subway cars have been cleaned and disinfected daily. The use of UV light technology has also been piloted to clean the facilities.

 

Across the state, one million masks and 500,000 2-ounce bottles of sanitizer have been distributed, and the governor confirmed that New York City is now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care,

 

In partnership with Northwell Health and SOMOS Community Care, the state opened 14 new temporary testing sites at churches located in communities that were hit hardest by COVID-19.

 

The governor is encouraging all New Yorkers  who have participated in recent protests to get tested at the more than 240 testing sites in New York City, saying the State is prioritizing 15 testing sites across the City for individuals who have participated in recent protests. More information on how to get tested at these sites can be found at coronavirus.health.ny.gov.

 

On Jun. 7, landmarks across the state were lit in blue and gold, projecting the words, “New York Tough”. Cuomo said this was to honor New Yorkers’ extraordinary bravery and discipline throughout this extremely challenging period. “You have all personified, for this nation and the world, what it means to be New York Tough,” he said.

 

See the full gallery of illuminated landmarks here.