The rising number of COVID-19 cases in New York City has caused Mayor Bill de Blasio to propose a shutdown for schools and non-essential businesses in hotspot areas throughout Brooklyn and Queens.

On Sunday, de Blasio announced that he has proposed a plan to the state that would shut down nonessential businesses and schools located within the nine zip codes that have reported coronavirus positivity rates above 3% for more than seven consecutive days.

NBC New York reported that the shutdown would affect the following zip codes:

  • 11691 (Edgemere/Far Rockaway)
  • 11219 (Borough Park)
  • 11223 (Gravesend/Homecrest)
  • 11230 (Midwood)
  • 11204 (Bensonhurst/Mapleton)
  • 11210 (Flatlands/Midwood)
  • 11229 (Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay)
  • 11415 (Kew Gardens)
  • 11367 (Kew Gardens Hills/Pomonok)

“This was not an easy choice to make, and let me be clear: we haven’t seen any issues in these schools. We must, however, be proactive about the safety and health of New Yorkers,” de Blasio said.

“This is out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with a larger strategy that mirrors what we did successfully in the spring of a larger shutdown to make ensure we stopped the spread.”

If approved, the shutdown would begin on Wednesday and include private and public schools as well as daycare. Meanwhile, restaurants would be restricted to take-out only and will lose their indoor and outdoor dining privileges.

While some New Yorkers may not be happy about the pause, de Blasio has insisted that the hotspot shutdown is the best decision to avoid a second wave,

“There does not have to be a second wave,” he explained.

“We do not start from a scenario that this causes a bigger spread. Absolutely, we can avoid a bigger wave in New York City.”

1599px-Bill_de_Blasio_(48609239838)
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the NYPD will scale back on enforcing social distancing and face masks rules. Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
RELATED STORIES
Coronavirus