Brooklyn Pandemic Numbers: Up Again, New 10 Person, 10 PM Restrictions

We may be tired of the virus, but the virus is not tired of us. While there is hopeful news of an effective vaccine, we are still a way off from being able to get it.  In the meantime, all health officials are urging to please remain vigilant, keep distance, wear masks, wash hands, and get tested. If you may have been exposed, get tested.

And to drive home the urgency if the situation and hope to slow the spread due to people gathering indoors, Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced new restrictions, effective at 10pm this Friday, November 13, statewide:

• NYS will limit indoor gatherings at private residences to 10 people.
• Any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close from 10pm to 5am daily.
• Restaurants will still be allowed to provide curbside, food-only pick-up or delivery after 10 p.m., but will not be permitted to serve alcohol to go. The State Liquor Authority will issue further guidance for licensees as to what sales are continued to be permitted.
• Gyms must also close at 10pm.

“If you look at where the cases are coming from, if you do the contact tracing, you’ll see they’re coming from three main areas: establishments where alcohol is served, gyms, and indoor gatherings at private homes,” Governor Cuomo said as he announced the new restrictions.

“At the time of the announcement, restaurants have not been provided important details by the State or City about the new restrictions on their businesses,” Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance emailed.”They don’t know if the restrictions apply to indoor and outdoor dining, and if customers need to leave the restaurant by 10:00pm or if they can finish their meals, which is creating more confusion, so we hope that information is released immediately. These new restrictions should be publicly justified with contact tracing data because they will make it even more difficult for these small businesses to survive. We demand that our elected leaders provide financial support to our city’s restaurants and bars before they permanently shutter and put tens of thousands of New Yorkers out of work.”

This comes as the numbers are surging across the state – and most parts of Brooklyn these days are safer than anywhere around us, but only Queens had more new infections reported yesterday in NYC.

Of the 164,300 tests reported yesterday across New York State, 4,820 were positive (2.93% of total). Total hospitalizations were at 1,628, and there were 21 deaths.

Brooklyn indicators from the State:

17,933 tested yesterday, 485 positive, 2.7% infection rate. The 7-day infection rate in Brooklyn is now at 2%. Two Brooklyn redients died from the virus. For perspective, in October we were seeing about 200 cases a day, in September just a 100.

Citywide indicators from Mayor Bill de Blasio:

• 94 patients admitted to the hospital (200 threshold)
• 817 new cases (550 threshold)
• The infection rate 7-day average is 2.52% (5% threshold, 3% for closing schools)

Check this map for 7-day average infection rates by zip-code.