After the state’s new three-layered color-coded closure zones caused confusion earlier this week, the city released an interactive website late last night that allows New Yorkers to type in an address to see if they live in a shutdown area.
Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a plan on Sunday to shut down schools and non-essential businesses in nine Brooklyn and Queens zip codes with increasing numbers of the coronavirus. After a tit-for-tat series of press conferences, the governor OK’d school closures but released a modified shutdown plan for businesses and houses of worship in zones.
The red, orange and yellow zones cause confusion as many New Yorkers struggled to figure out where each layer’s border fell.
Here are the maps of the two Queens clusters along with the guidance: pic.twitter.com/DP3sUBL8fs
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) October 6, 2020
The “COVID-19 Zone Finder” features an interactive map with pop-up explanations of COVID restrictions by zone.
In red zones: All public and private schools as well as non-essential businesses are closed. These areas are the biggest concern for the city and have had a coronavirus positive rate of above 3% for the last seven days. Mass gatherings are forbidden, houses of worship are open at 25% capacity with a maximum of ten people allowed inside at any time and restaurants are take-out only.
In orange zones: Schools are also closed as well as “high-risk” businesses like gyms. Gatherings are limited to 10 or less and restaurants offering outdoor dining can only seat four to a table. Houses of worship are open but a 33% capacity with a 25 person limit.
Inside of yellow zones: Some schools in yellow zones are closed. For schools that are still open for in-person learning, all students and staff will be tested weekly for the coronavirus. Businesses are allowed to open but are urged to enforce social distancing rules and mask-wearing. Indoor and outdoor dining are open with only four people allowed to a table. Houses of worship are open at 50% capacity.
