Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray celebrate the City’s Open Restaurants program on June 22, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
June 25, 2020 By Christian Murray
New York City is on track to enter Phase 3 of the four-step reopening plan on Monday, July 6, Mayor Bill de Blasio said today at his daily briefing.
The new phase would permit indoor dining at restaurants, as well as the reopening of nails salons, and other personal care services. The phase would also see the reopening of dog runs, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and similar park facilities.
“The data is telling us ‘yes’ right now, so we want to start getting people ready for it,” de Blasio said said in terms of the city entering Phase 3. The mayor said he would provide additional details on Friday.
New York City, which has seen tens of thousands of people die from COVID-19, now has one of the lowest transmission rates in the country. The city’s seven-day rolling positivity rate based on daily testing is about 1 percent.
The state is seeing a rapid decline. The state’s hospitalizations fell below 1,000 for the first time since mid March, Governor Andrew Cuomo said today.
Phase 3, however, is not likely to be a return to normal for restaurants. They are likely to be restricted to 50 percent occupancy, with tables 6 feet apart. Face masks will still be required unless patrons are seated.
The city entered Phase 2 on Monday, which permitted outdoor dining, barbershops and the opening of non-essential retail—all subject to restrictions
