Policy

All New Yorkers will be eligible for the COVID vaccine on April 6th

A vaccination site in Co-Op City in the Bronx on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

March 29, 2021

All New Yorkers will be eligible for the COVID vaccine on April 6th

In a press release today, Governor Cuomo announced that New Yorkers ages 30+ will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, March 30th, and those ages 16+ on April 6th. This means New York will make eligibility universal nearly a month earlier than President Biden's May 1 deadline.
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Policy

New York launches digital COVID-19 vaccination pass as part of reopening effort

Photo courtesy of Governor Cuomo’s office

March 29, 2021

New York launches digital COVID-19 vaccination pass as part of reopening effort

New York on Friday became the first state to officially launch a digital passport for the coronavirus, which involves a smartphone app that shows proof of an individual's vaccination or recent negative test. Developed in partnership with IBM, the "Excelsior Pass" is designed like a mobile airline boarding pass and is part of the state's plan to reopen businesses, entertainment venues, and wedding reception halls. Following a pilot program tested at a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center and at a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the app will expand to smaller arts and culture venues and theaters on April 2, the same day live performances can return to New York.
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New Yorkers aged 50+ will be eligible for the COVID vaccine

Dr. Michelle Chester of Northwell Health in Queens prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York State; Photo: Scott Heagedins for the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

March 22, 2021

New Yorkers aged 50+ will be eligible for the COVID vaccine

By Devin Gannon

The group of New Yorkers eligible for the coronavirus vaccine is set to expand again this week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced that New Yorkers aged 50 years and older will be able to sign up for a vaccine appointment starting 8 a.m. on March 23. "We are dropping the age as we're vaccinating more people," the governor said during an event at the Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon.
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Policy

New York pharmacies can now vaccinate those with underlying conditions

Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 22, 2021

New York pharmacies can now vaccinate those with underlying conditions

By Devin Gannon

New Yorkers with certain underlying health conditions can now receive the coronavirus vaccine at pharmacies across the state, greatly expanding the number of people these stores are able to serve. Previously, pharmacies in the state were only able to administer the vaccine to those 60 years and older and teachers. The state's eligibility expansion comes as more than 7.5 million total COVID vaccine doses have been administered across New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday.
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Policy

Baseball is back: New York announces increased capacity for sports venues

Photo by Matt Boulton via Wikimedia Commons

March 18, 2021

Baseball is back: New York announces increased capacity for sports venues

In a press conference this morning, with guest appearances by former Mets and Yankees pitchers Al Leiter and CC Sabathia, Governor Cuomo announced that as of April 1, professional sports leagues that play in large outdoor stadiums can reopen at 20-percent capacity. What does this mean for baseball season? When Yankee Stadium has its home opener on April 1st, it'll be able to accommodate 10,850 fans; on April 8th, Citi Field will have 8,384 fans.
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Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

Rendering by G3 Architecture Interiors Planning; Courtesy of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

March 16, 2021

Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

By Devin Gannon

A skybridge that leads to a landscaped rooftop park is coming to Radio City Music Hall. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from G3 Architecture Interiors Planning and Tishman Speyer to construct a simple pedestrian bridge clad in statuary bronze that would connect the building at 1270 Avenue of the Americas to the planned roof garden atop the historic theater, which will be amenity space for Rockefeller Center tenants. Interconnected green terraces were part of the original architectural vision for the Rockefeller Center complex and this project, to be called Radio Park, will finally bring the plan to fruition.
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Brooklyn Municipal Building renamed after Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray deliver remarks at the renaming ceremony of the Brooklyn Municipal Building in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. March 15, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 16, 2021

Brooklyn Municipal Building renamed after Ruth Bader Ginsburg

By Devin Gannon

The Brooklyn Municipal Building on Monday was officially renamed after late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The idea to honor the Brooklyn native was introduced three years ago by Borough President Eric Adams, who launched a campaign in 2018 calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to sign off on the name change. Following Ginsburg's death in September, the mayor agreed to rename the building located at 210 Joralemon Street.
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Policy

Just 10% of Manhattan office employees have returned to the workplace

Via Creative Commons

March 12, 2021

Just 10% of Manhattan office employees have returned to the workplace

By Devin Gannon

Although New York City entered phase two of the state's reopening last June, which allowed offices to reopen to nonessential workers, just 10 percent of Manhattan office employees have returned to their workplace as of March. The Partnership for New York City this week released a survey of major employers to find out how long the borough's one million office workers will continue to work from home. According to the Partnership, employers expect less than half of their workers to return to the office by September.
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Policy

100 new federal COVID-19 vaccine hubs to open in New York

Photo of NYCHA vaccination site at Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 11, 2021

100 new federal COVID-19 vaccine hubs to open in New York

By Devin Gannon

More than 100 new coronavirus vaccine hubs funded by the federal government will soon open in New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer announced on Thursday. During Mayor Bill de Blasio's daily press briefing, the Senate Majority Leader said additional vaccines will be sent directly to sites at existing community health centers (CHC) to "supercharge" the vaccination effort.
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Policy

Indoor dining capacity in NYC can increase to 50% on March 19

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

March 10, 2021

Indoor dining capacity in NYC can increase to 50% on March 19

By Devin Gannon

Restaurants in New York City will soon be able to serve more customers inside. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced capacity can increase from the current 35 percent to 50 percent starting March 19. The announcement comes about a month after indoor dining returned in the city following a two-month closure starting in December.
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Popular Articles

This website helps you find leftover vaccine doses

A vaccination site in Co-Op City in the Bronx. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.

March 10, 2021

This website helps you find leftover vaccine doses

In early January, NY Post reporter Hannah Frishberg shared the story of how she received a leftover dose of the COVID-19 vaccine when she happened to be at a Brooklyn clinic at the end of the day. The healthcare worker who was scheduled to receive that dose missed her appointment, and therefore "It was my arm or the garbage," wrote Frishberg. Since then, leftover doses have become more and more sought after, with some New Yorkers lining up at sites from 7am in the hopes of getting lucky. And now, a new New York-based website called Dr. B allows you to sign up on a formal standby list to be notified when local providers find themselves with extra doses.
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New Yorkers 60+, government and nonprofit employees eligible for COVID vaccine this month

A short-term mass vaccination site that utilizes the Johnson & Johnson vaccine opened at Marist College. Credit: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

March 9, 2021

New Yorkers 60+, government and nonprofit employees eligible for COVID vaccine this month

By Devin Gannon

The group of New Yorkers eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine will significantly expand this month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced New Yorkers aged 60 years and older can sign up to receive the vaccine starting this Wednesday and public-facing government, non-profit, and building workers on March 17. Originally, New Yorkers aged 75 years and older were included in the first phase of the vaccine rollout along with healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff, but Cuomo agreed in January to lower the age prerequisite to 65 years and older.
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Policy

NYC begins door-to-door COVID-19 vaccinations for homebound seniors

Photo of NYCHA vaccination site at Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 5, 2021

NYC begins door-to-door COVID-19 vaccinations for homebound seniors

By Devin Gannon

New York City on Thursday launched an effort to vaccinate homebound seniors by going door to door at select residential buildings. With this week's arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires a single shot and remains stable in a regular refrigerator, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the vaccine will "revolutionize" the city's fight against the coronavirus. Teams deployed by the FDNY started vaccinating seniors in Co-op City in the Bronx on Thursday and will move to Brighton Beach on Friday.
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Policy

NYC updates vaccine website with real-time appointment availability

Screenshot from the city’s Vaccine Finder website

March 4, 2021

NYC updates vaccine website with real-time appointment availability

Making good on its word, the NYC Health Department overhauled the city's COVID vaccine scheduling portal to include real-time appointment availability. Previously, Vaccine Finder listed all providers but did not specify availability, meaning users would have to spend time filling out multiple registration forms just to be told there were no vaccines.
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Policy

Limited live performances and events can resume in New York in April

Photo by Sudan Ouyang on Unsplash

March 3, 2021

Limited live performances and events can resume in New York in April

By Devin Gannon

After being closed for over a year, events, arts, and entertainment venues can reopen at a limited capacity next month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced that as soon as April 2, live performance venues will be able to open indoor spaces at 33 percent capacity or up to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors. If all attendees present proof of a negative coronavirus test prior to entry, capacity can increase to 150 people indoors and 500 people outdoors, according to the state.
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New York lawmaker proposes converting empty offices and hotels into affordable housing

Photo by Dimitry Anikin on Unsplash

March 3, 2021

New York lawmaker proposes converting empty offices and hotels into affordable housing

By Devin Gannon

A state lawmaker introduced legislation this week that would allow New York to buy financially distressed commercial buildings and convert them into housing for low-income and homeless New Yorkers. The Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act, sponsored by State Sen. Michael Gianaris, includes the purchase and conversion of office buildings and hotels that are up for sale, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. The proposed legislation comes as commercial districts and tourist hubs have yet to recover fully from the impact of the coronavirus and as the housing crisis, particularly in New York City, continues.
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New York will administer Johnson & Johnson vaccine overnight at Javits Center, Yankee Stadium this week

The mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium opened in February for Bronx residents only; Photo: Don Pollard / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

March 2, 2021

New York will administer Johnson & Johnson vaccine overnight at Javits Center, Yankee Stadium this week

By Devin Gannon

New York this week will start administering the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine during overnight hours at three state-run mass vaccination sites, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday. Vaccine hubs at the Javits Center, Yankee Stadium, and the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse will distribute the single-dose vaccine, which was granted emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration over the weekend, to eligible New Yorkers starting this Friday, March 5. Appointments will open at 11 a.m. on Wednesday for vaccinations at Yankee Stadium and 8 a.m. on Thursday for the Javits Center and the Fairgrounds.
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Policy

Mass vaccination site to open at Co-op City in the Bronx this week

Photo by David L Roush on Wikimedia

March 2, 2021

Mass vaccination site to open at Co-op City in the Bronx this week

By Devin Gannon

New York City this week will open a mass coronavirus vaccination site at Co-op City, the world's largest housing cooperative. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced the site will start vaccinations for eligible New Yorkers on March 4 at the Bronx development, which is home to over 15,300 apartments across 72 buildings. "Communities felt deep, deep losses from the coronavirus in the Bronx," de Blasio said during a press briefing. "The Bronx is too often overlooked. We can't let that happen."
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Policy

Campaign to save Union Square South sites connected to women’s history continues

Screenshot of Women’s History Tour map; Courtesy of Village Preservation

March 1, 2021

Campaign to save Union Square South sites connected to women’s history continues

By Devin Gannon

On the first day of Women's History Month, a preservation group is renewing calls to landmark nearly two dozen sites related to women's history in New York City. Village Preservation on Monday kicked off a campaign effort urging the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate several buildings located south of Union Square that have a connection to trailblazing women, organizations, or historic events. It's part of the group's broader effort to protect nearly 200 buildings in the area which is slated for new development.
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Giving citizens a (virtual) voice: How NYC can strengthen public input post-pandemic

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

February 26, 2021

Giving citizens a (virtual) voice: How NYC can strengthen public input post-pandemic

By Karen Zabarsky

Nearly a year into the pandemic, decision-making in our cities has taken center stage. Locally grown proposals by council people, small business owners, and neighbors have proven the ability to cut through red tape and innovate quickly to solve problems. Outdoor dining structures and pedestrian-only streets were implemented at a rate thought impossible before. At the same time, top-down mandates about public safety and use of funds have been at best called into question, and at worst, completely fumbled. Slow action and political quibbles have left many critical decisions out of public hands. In the face of many more important decisions to come about our city, it is high time to address a challenge that has plagued us long before the pandemic — the lack of substantial public input into big decisions.
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This website wants to centralize vaccine appointments for the entire country

A screenshot from VaccineFinder on 2/25/21 at 10:31am

February 25, 2021

This website wants to centralize vaccine appointments for the entire country

Finding a vaccine appointment in New York has not been easy, to say the least. Providers are scheduling through various websites, most of which require you to fill out a pre-screening form every time you want to check availability. So unless you get lucky or are able to sit behind the computer all day, it can feel like a daunting process. That's why here in New York City, a local software engineer built a website called TurboVax that updates all availabilities in real-time. I personally have used this site to schedule for friends, and it's a life-saver. What about everywhere else, though? VaccineFinder, a CDC-backed website run by epidemiologists and software developers at Boston Children’s Hospital, is hoping to create a "centralized online portal where the public can search for nearby vaccination locations with doses on hand," according to the New York Times. But is this really feasible?
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Policy

Preservationists fight to save the impressively-intact Art Deco lobby of the McGraw-Hill Building

Photo credit: Lynn Farrell on behalf of the Art Deco Society of New York

February 24, 2021

Preservationists fight to save the impressively-intact Art Deco lobby of the McGraw-Hill Building

By Devin Gannon

An effort to preserve one of New York City's best examples of Art Deco design is underway. The owner of the McGraw-Hill Building at 330 West 42nd Street has tapped MdeAS Architects to redesign and modernize the structure's exterior, including new doors and signage. But after renderings from the architects surfaced on Twitter this month that showed what looked to be the 1931 lobby of the Hell's Kitchen building devoid of its iconic alternation blue-green steel bands and other signature elements designed by Raymond Hood, preservationists and architectural groups sprung into action.
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Policy

New data estimates 6.2% of NYC COVID cases are the UK variant

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via Flickr

February 24, 2021

New data estimates 6.2% of NYC COVID cases are the UK variant

A report released on Monday by the NYC Department of Health shows that 6.2 percent of new COVID cases in NYC are the B.1.1.7 variant (more commonly known as the UK variant), an increase from 2.7 percent in January. The estimate is based on 45 identified variant cases of the 724 specimens sequenced the week of February 8-14. The week prior, it was actually 7.4 percent. On their website which has been updated to include data on variant cases, the NYC DOH says that the UK strain is "more transmissible than other variants and may cause more severe illness."
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Trump-operated ice rinks in Central Park to stay open for rest of season

Photo of the Wollman Rink by bekhap on Flickr

February 22, 2021

Trump-operated ice rinks in Central Park to stay open for rest of season

By Devin Gannon

Two ice rinks in Central Park that are operated by the Trump Organization will now remain open for the rest of the season instead of shuttering early as originally planned. The Trump Organization announced it would close Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink on Sunday after city officials requested the company cease operations on February 26, ahead of the contract's April expiration. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the termination of the agreements with former President Donald Trump's company for the ice rinks and two other city concessions following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. In a reversal, the city on Sunday said the rinks can stay open for the remainder of the season.
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Policy

FEMA community-based vaccination sites open in Brooklyn and Queens this week

Photo by Jules Antonio on Wikimedia

February 22, 2021

FEMA community-based vaccination sites open in Brooklyn and Queens this week

By Devin Gannon

Two coronavirus vaccination sites run by the state with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will open in Queens and Brooklyn on Wednesday, with appointments set aside for residents of specific ZIP codes. Appointment slots opened over the weekend for vaccinations at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights and York College in Jamaica, starting this Wednesday. According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, there are many appointments still up for grabs.
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Policy

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