NYC Enters Phase Three & The “New” Normal

Today, as New York City enters Phase 3, life, in the city that never sleeps, inches closer to what we used to call normal.

So, what’s Phase 3? Well, that means the city, once the epicenter of the pandemic, is continuing to loosen restrictions that were put in place to contain the coronavirus. Phase 3 is a direct result of New Yorkers doing their part to protect one another and limiting the spread of the virus.

While New York City is taking steps to reopen, other parts of the country have found that lifting restrictions can have negative effects. Many states, such as Texas, Arizona and others, had significant surges in new COVID-19 cases while others have successfully flattened the curve.

Phase 3, What Now?

While NYC has seen a dramatic downturn in new cases, the city’s Phase 3 stage will see the return of some “low-risk” youth sports, tanning salons, opening, but not indoor dining – yet.  New Yorkers were expected to enjoy indoor dining beginning today, albeit with capacity restrictions in place for restaurants and bars. However, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week decided to delay indoor dining indefinitely.

“It is not the time to forge ahead with indoor dining,” Mr. de Blasio said on Wednesday. Governor Cuomo added to that, saying, “Out of an abundance of caution and after seeing other states’ experiences with indoor dining, we will wait to reopen it as the city moves to Phase Three tomorrow.

What’s Next

While indoor dining is on hold, other segments are moving forward with openings. One sign of that was the re-opening of the 9/11 Memorial to the public on Sunday. The opening did have strict hand sanitizer and face mask requirements as the museum under goes “regular deep cleanings.”

But even as Mr. Cuomo announced on Sunday that Phase 3 would go forward, he urged caution. He stated residents should wear masks and stay distanced from one another lest New York give up the progress it has made in curbing the virus.