New Rules For NY Coronavirus Clusters: Close Businesses, Schools

NEW YORK CITY — Nonessential businesses and schools in New York will be ordered to close in coronavirus hot spots this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news briefing Tuesday. Houses of worship will be forced to reduce the number of congregants, and mass gatherings will be banned.

Cuomo unveiled a matrix that outlines what will happen in areas seeing clusters, organizing the rules by red, orange and yellow zones. He called the measures a "last resort" and repeated his accusation that some local governments haven't enforced existing coronavirus rules and regulations, leading to hot spots in roughly 20 ZIP codes.

In red zones, defined as roughly a mile in diameter from the cluster of cases, houses of worship will be reduced in capacity to a maximum of 25 percent or 10 people. Mass gatherings will be banned, schools will be shifted to remote learning, and only essential businesses will be allowed to open. Restaurants will have to shift back to takeout.

In orange zones, encompassing the area that's 1.5 miles around the cluster, houses of worship will be reduced to 33 percent capacity or a maximum of 25 people, and mass gatherings will be restricted to 10 people inside and outside. High-risk nonessential businesses will be forced to close again, including gyms and personal care services. Restaurants can only offer outdoor dining, and tables will be restricted to four people. Schools will also have to shift to remote learning.

In yellow zones, defined as areas within 2 miles of the cluster, houses of worship will be capped at half capacity, and mass gatherings will be limited to 25 people inside and outside. All nonessential businesses will be allowed to remain open, but restaurants will have to limit tables to up to four patrons. Schools will have to conduct mandatory weekly tests of students, teachers and staff in schools. The Department of Health will set that number by Friday, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the rules could go into effect as early as Wednesday but no later than Friday. Local governments have to figure out how to notify local businesses and houses of worship about the new rules for each applicable zone.

Basically, these clusters are due to mass gatherings, Cuomo said, not businesses and schools.

"Many of these communities have a large Orthodox population," he said. "I understand the imposition this is going to place on them. I thank them for their help and cooperation."

Cuomo also announced the state increased the fines for sponsors of mass gatherings from $10,000 to $15,000.