Coronavirus NYC Updates for May 2020

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Eyewitness News coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City in May and early June 2020.

New York City coronavirus and reopening updates can be found here.

COVID-19 Help, Information. Stimulus and Business Updates

UPDATES
New York City
New Jersey
Long Island
Westchester and Hudson Valley
Connecticut

REOPENING INFORMATION
What's Open, What's Closed
Reopening New York State
Reopening New Jersey
Reopening Connecticut

LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEW YORK CITY LIVE UPDATES AND NEWS

JUNE 9, 2020

New testing sites in NYC hard-hit communities led by Sean Penn
Cuomo touched on adding 11 new testing sites in the most impacted zip codes in New York City. He thanked actor and CORE Co-Founder & Chairsperson of the Board Sean Penn, for helping to establish these new sites.

Beaches and Pools
"We're not there yet," the mayor cautioned, but he said that the city's encouraging coronavirus indicators show that the city may consider opening beaches this summer. He said he could envision that with pools too, but it would take a lot more progress first.

Expanding NYC Care
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday talked about expanding NYC Care citywide. It's a $37.5 million expansion that will have 26 new providers to give care to residents within two weeks. The initial expansion is expected to benefit 56,000 people in Manhattan and Queens.

JUNE 8, 2020

Tunnel To Towers Foundation to support families of 5 fallen COVID-19 heroes
The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has announced five families of front line workers who will receive temporary mortgage payments through its COVID-19 Heroes Fund.

Great-grandma fighting COVID faces setback when dentures go missing
An 86-year-old woman has endured so much during the COVID-19 crisis after watching her son-in-law succumb to the virus before both she and her daughter became sick. After a weeks-long struggle, she thought she had won, but now her family says rehab took away something so precious from her - that was even causing her to become more sick.

Cuomo urges New Yorkers to 'stay smart' in Phase 1 reopening
As New York City officially enters Phase 1 after a three-month lockdown, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the reopening process has to be done both cautiously and smart.

Added Busways and Bus Lanes
20 new miles of busways and bus lanes. The mayor said there will be five new busways that will launch on an "urgent basis" between June and October on a trial basis. There will be 4 new bus lanes. The lanes and busways promise to offer faster service for some 750,000 people using MTA buses to commute.

Staten Island Ferry Service
The Staten Island Ferry is offering 20-minute service during peak rush hour times of 6 a.m.-9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on weekdays. The ferry is offering 30-minute service 5:30 a.m.-6:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekends.

JUNE 7, 2020

NYPD Chief of Transportation dies
After 39 years of service to the people of NYC, Chief of Transportation William T. Morris passed away on Saturday from COVID-19.

JUNE 5, 2020

Mobile testing
Mobile testing will begin in New York City as it moves into Phase 1 on Monday. The mobile units will start in the Soundview section of the Bronx and Kew Gardens in Queens. Each truck can do 80 tests and all tests are free.

Construction Sites Reopen Monday
32,000 construction sites will reopen across New York City. The Department of Buildings will be out making sure that there are face coverings and hand sanitizer being used and that social distancing is in place. The department will be there to help, not to fine, but after 30 days of engagement the department will issue fines to those ignoring the help and warnings.

JUNE 4, 2020

Phase 2 early July
Mayor de Blasio predicted that the city could move into Phase 2 of reopening in early July. He said with that would come an aggressive expansion of "Open Streets" so that restaurants and bars would have more available outdoor space.

Small Business Hotline
The city unveiled it's small business hotline number. It's 888-SBS-4NYC. Business owners can also call 311. The mayor said the city plans to hand out 2 million masks to small business owners to help them comply with PPE requirements.

JUNE 3, 2020

Face coverings required in all Port Authority facilities
As the Port Authority's airports, bridges, tunnels, and terminals, PATH system, seaports, and World Trade Center transportation hub remain open and operational, the agency reminds the traveling public that face coverings are required in its facilities. The requirement for face coverings is a key part of agency's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been instituted as a result of the New York and New Jersey emergency orders.

Testing and Tracing
Mayor de Blasio announced that New York City has expanded testing criteria to all New Yorkers for free. 2,500 contact tracers will be on duty by the end of the week.

MTA reopening proposal
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he is proposing resuming MTA regular service, but still closing between 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. for cleaning, for Phase 1. He said that he would like to see abundant and clear markings for social distancing at stations, subways, and buses.

JUNE 1, 2020

7 On Your Side tips for stimulus payment debit cards
Stimulus payments have provided an economic lifelines for tens of millions of people, but many recipients have unknowingly thrown out their money.

Four million of envelopes were sent out last week to taxpayers who don't have a bank account on file with the IRS. 7 On Your side got an earful of complaints from confused recipients who thought the cards were junk mail.

Possible rise in COVID-19 cases due to protests
Doctors are warning about an uptick in coronavirus cases following several days of protests across the nation in response to the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis.

New York City treating frontline workers to daily 'Music For The Soul' concerts
Every day at noon for the next month, health care workers in 11 New York City hospitals that are part of NYC Health and Hospitals Corp. are being treated to a solo concert by musicians appearing from their homes via Facebook Live.

"Music For The Soul" is the name of a program designed to thank those who are risking their lives to help those who are sick with COVID-19 get better.

Metropolitan Opera announces reopening date
The Metropolitan opera announced it is canceling the first few months of its 2020-2021 season and will now reopen on December 31, 2020 with a special gala performance.

Cuomo on NYC protest crowds
"New York City opens next week, it took us 93 days to get here. Is this smart?" Governor Andrew Cuomo said of the mass protests. Thousands were seen not maintaining social distancing and several not wearing masks. The governor said he worried about "super spreaders" in the crowds. "This is not advancing a reform agenda, this is not telling government officials to change, this is not helping beat the coronavirus," he said. "It's counterproductive for New York City in many ways."

MAY 31, 2020

MTA continues distribution of PPE to workers
The MTA is still going strong and distributing personal protective equipment to its workers.

Since the start of the pandemic, 2.4 million masks and 4.8 million pairs of gloves have been distributed to employees across all MTA platforms.

MAY 29, 2020

Some non-essential businesses defying state shutdown order
Faced with mounting losses amid the coronavirus pandemic, some businesses in New York City are taking their chances and violating the state's shutdown order for non-essential businesses. In two blocks of Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, 7 On Your Side Investigates observed clothing stores, a shoe store, a furniture store, a florist, and a beauty store open for in-store shopping.

Families can't afford burials for loved ones
Burying loved ones is a sad reality that many families are having to deal with right now due to the coronavirus pandemic. There have been backups at funeral homes and morgues due to the high amount of deaths and lack of space, but also because of something else. Some families can't afford to bury their loved ones.

Heading into Phase 1
Governor Cuomo announced that NYC would be ready to enter Phase 1 on June 8. It's expected the city will meet all three of its required thresholds by that date.

Cure Violence
150 Cure Violence outreach workers are helping to educate people about social distancing, enforcing social distancing, and handing out masks. The city is adding 375 more outreach workers that will help with this effort from June-September.

COVID-19 testing for non-profit workers
Starting on Monday, the city will offer 4,000 tests per day specific to non-profit workers. They will first be available at walk-in centers, then mobile sites by June 15, and at workplaces starting in July.

Face coverings for businesses
The mayor said for businesses to reopen in New York City, there needs to be face coverings for all employees and customers. NYC will provide face coverings for all businesses that need them. Mayor de Blasio said that the city is prepared to give away an initial 2 million.

MAY 28, 2020

Tunnels to Towers helps families who lost loved ones to COVID-19
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation is working its magic once again for families of frontline workers by helping those who lost loved ones to the coronavirus. The foundation announced five additional families of frontline workers will receive temporary mortgage payments through its COVID-19 Heroes Fund.

Brooklyn woman's impressions of Gov. Cuomo gaining fame on Twitter
Andrew Cuomo has been thrown into the spotlight as he leads New York's efforts in fighting the coronavirus crisis, and one comedian from Brooklyn is using his daily news briefings for a funny, but respectful parody.

Whether he's discussing Sunday dinner of his daughter's boyfriend, Cuomo is a sharer - and that's something Maria DeCotis first picked up on in April and ran with it.

Brooklyn company makes 50,000 coronavirus testing kits a week
A company in Brooklyn is making 50,000 coronavirus tests a week, but it's about to start making even more as mass testing and contact tracing are crucial to safely reopening

Packed into boxes and shipped out by the thousands, the COVID-19 test kits are headed for New York City's municipal hospitals and they couldn't arrive soon enough.

'Toss It': Pandemic offers opportunity to indie filmmakers
The coronavirus pandemic has shut down movie and TV production nationwide and delayed the release of the big summer blockbusters, but it also created opportunities for independent filmmakers who managed to finish their projects before the crisis hit. One of those projects is called "Toss It," it was shot in and around New York City in just 12 days.

Bronx borough president hosts grocery giveaway for NYCHA residents
Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. gave out food from Fresh Direct to NYCHA residents.

Cheers for teen released from Richmond University Hospital after MIS-C battle
There was a warm send-off for a 16-year-old patient after his battle with Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.

The staff at Richmond University Medical Center cheered as the teenager left the hospital Wednesday. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early May and admitted to the hospital last week battling MIS-C.

FDNY hosts sendoff for ambulances that came to NY, NJ during pandemic
The FDNY on Thursday hosted a ceremonial sendoff to medical response teams that traveled to New York City to assist with the coronavirus pandemic. For 60 days, American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance crews, Network Providers and support staff from across the country have worked in New York as part of the urgent response to the COVID-19 crisis. More than 1,600 caregivers and 500 ambulances from AMR and other EMS companies were deployed to New York and New Jersey to help support efforts to transport and treat patients at the height of the pandemic.

Preparing for Phase 1
Phase 1 includes: Construction, manufacturing, wholesale work, non-essential retail curbside or instore pickup. Estimates of how many people will be returning to work are unclear, according to the mayor. A minimum of 200,000 up to a maximum of 400,000 people will be returning to work according to surveys completed by the city. The city is expected to reach Phase 1 in the first two weeks of June.

Department of Buildings, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and Small Business Services will educate, conduct outreach and support all businesses. The city is immediately training small business advocates and compliance advisors. Next week they will publish plain language industry guides and launch a business restart hotline. There will be sector advisory councils to troubleshoot additional necessary guidance or rule changes to help businesses succeed. DCWP, FDNY, DSNY will help conduct random visits to ensure compliance.

School in September
The mayor says the city is still hoping for a normal start to the school year on September 10th. He anticipates that there will be safety and health measures in place. The mayor says that there will be several plans developed. The conversation is ongoing with an advisory council.

NYC tanning salon reopens, quickly closes
A tanning salon on Staten Island that reopened Thursday in defiance of New York City guidelines quickly closed up shop after the owner said police threatened to pull his license and shut the business down for good.

MAY 27, 2020

New legislation would give NYC restaurants more room to serve outside
While New York City waits for the green light to start reopening, there is a plan in place that could give restaurants more room to serve people outside when they do re-open.

The legislation that would allow more outdoor space and seating for restaurants is being introduced Thursday.

Giant memorial mural in Queens pays tribute to COVID-19 victims
There has been no shortage of tributes to front line responders to the COVID-19 pandemic, but what may be the biggest one yet is coming to life in Queens.

A 20,000-square-foot memorial to COVID-19 victims is under way as the death toll from the virus passed the 100,000 mark in the United States.

Resource navigators to help people battle COVID-19 at home
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the city has a goal of testing 50,000 people per day by August 1st. He assured New Yorkers that if they are sick, the contact tracers and resource navigators will help make sure that they are well cared for at home and have access to food, medicine and are properly isolated. Mayor de Blasio said all of those services are free. The mayor also pleaded for help, saying that the city is $9 billion "in the hole" due to the coronavirus crisis. There is currently no bailout vote scheduled in the Senate. Of the three thresholds the city is watching - hospitalizations remain below and the percentage of people testing positive also remains below, but the number of ICU patients remains above the threshold of 375 at 431.

Food assistance
Five-hundred boxes of groceries were delivered in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Councilman Robert Cornegy, Jr., with the help of community partners, distributed the necessary items to people in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights.

2nd member of Met Opera orchestra dies of COVID-19
A second member of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra died due to complications relating to COVID-19, the opera announced Wednesday. Joel Revzen was an assistant conductor with the orchestra since 1999.

Times Square goes dark for struggling businesses
Times Square's famous billboards will momentarily go dark for one minute on Wednesday at 9 p.m. in an effort to show support for restaurants, hospitality businesses and non-profits during the coronavirus crisis.

Cuomo announces 2 winners in face mask PSA contest
New York has announced a pair of winners in a contest to launch a public service commercial to encourage the wearing of face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The two winning videos, "We Heart New York" by Bunny Lake Films and "You Can Still Smile" by Natalia Bougadellis and Emory Parker will run as PSAs.

Resource Navigators hired
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 200 resource navigators were hired and will start next week. The resource navigators will help make sure that people who test positive are well cared for at home and have access to food, medicine, and are properly isolated. Mayor de Blasio said all of those services are free. There are also 1,200 hotel rooms to help isolate people who cannot isolate at home.

Mental Health Awareness
THRIVE NYC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month and the mayor said it's a time to reflect and think about how we support first responders and New Yorkers dealing with grief, loss, and the stress of staying inside so much. Anyone needing help can reach out at nyc.gov/thrivenyc.

MAY 26, 2020

Magnolia Bakery installing disease-destroying UV lights
As businesses look ahead to reopening and keeping staff and customers safe from COVID-19, one of the most popular dessert shops in NYC has found a high-tech way to zap away the virus.

Pharmacist, used car salesman charged with COVID-19 fraud
A pharmacist and a used car salesman were arrested Tuesday on charges that they designed frauds to capitalize on the search for masks and other protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

7 On Your Side Investigates contact tracing and how it works
A course designed to train contact tracers, offered by John Hopkins University, describes a close contact as someone within six feet of a sick individual for 15 minutes or more.

NYPD sick report
On Tuesday, 941 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 2.6% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,739 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Tuesday, 5,614 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 67 uniformed members plus 15 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

Alternate Side Parking Suspended
Alternate Side Parking is suspended until June 7th. Last week's "Clean Sweep" was a success. The mayor said the city would assess on the 7th to see if the city needs another "Clean Sweep."

Testing and tracing efforts
"It's easy, it's quick, and it's free," Mayor Bill de Blasio said of COVID-19 testing in New York City. He wants more people to get tested to help combat the spread of the virus in the city. There will be more than 180 testing sites available to city residents.

12 new testing sites will open over the coming weeks at Health + Hospitals locations. AdvantageCare health clinics are opening 16 more testing sites throughout the city as well.

There are now more than 1,700 contact tracers hired and being trained in New York City. They are set to complete their training and begin working by June 1st. Case investigators will call people that have been in contact with people who tested positive. Monitors will contact positive patients daily to make sure they are ok.

NYSE trading floor reopens
The trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange reopened for the first time in two months with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ringing the iconic bell, but the controlled chaos was more subdued Tuesday under new pandemic rules.

Brooklyn Diocese churches start reopening
The Brooklyn Diocese says 90% of their churches will reopen Tuesday morning for private prayer, funerals, and limited celebrations including weddings and baptisms. The mayor thanked faith leaders for reopening slowly.

Brooklyn Nets reopen practice facility
The Brooklyn Nets will be New York's first professional sports team to reopen a practice facility. That's after some players including Kevin Durant tested positive for COVID-19.

MAY 25, 2020

NYPD sick report
On Monday, 935 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 2.6% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%.

To date, 5,739 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of tMonday, 5,607 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 71 uniformed members plus 17 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

Beaches closed to swimming for unofficial start of summer
It wasn't the usual Memorial Day at Coney Island this year -- swimming is off limits and the rides were shut down because of COVID-19. And it appeared that many New Yorkers were following the rules and staying off the beach and out of the water.

Women facing more job loss than men amid pandemic, data shows
Women are more likely than men to face unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to analysis by the 7 On Your Side Investigates data team.

Knicks legend Patrick Ewing COVID-19 update
Knicks legend and Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball coach Patrick Ewing is "now home and getting better," according to his son.

NY death benefits
Gov. Cuomo announced that the state and local governments will provide death benefits for public heroes who died from COVID-19 during this emergency.

MAY 24, 2020

NYPD announces 43rd COVID-19 death in department
The NYPD announced the loss of another member of the department due to COVID-19.

School Safety Agent Doris Kirkland died on Friday night from complications related to coronavirus. Kirkland served as a school safety agent for more than 30 years.

Reopening NY
As New York continues to push forward with its reopening plan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a comeback of sports, camping and veterinarian offices.

MAY 23, 2020

Cardinal Dolan tours food distribution center on Staten Island
Timothy Cardinal Dolan went to Staten Island on Saturday to visit the Catholic Charities programs helping those in need during this time of crisis.

He toured the food distribution pantry at Our Lady of Good Counsel School and met with volunteers.

Staten Island officials claim borough has met criteria to open
Leaders on Staten Island sent a letter to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying they are ready to reopen the borough's economy.

Beaches open for holiday weekend, no swimming allowed
Some beaches in New York City will be open this holiday weekend, but there are major restrictions in place to encourage social distancing.

MAY 22, 2020

Knicks legend Patrick Ewing tweets he tested positive for COVID-19
Knicks legend Patrick Ewing tweeted that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Diocese of Brooklyn churches begin to reopen
The Diocese of Brooklyn announced Friday their churches can reopen for private prayer and devotion beginning Tuesday, May 26.

New York International Auto Show to resume in 2021
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center announced it continues to be closed for all expo business due to its role as a field hospital for COVID-19 cases. Although it currently has no patients, the facility remains set-up as an active hospital and is in standby mode for the foreseeable future. Organizers of the New York International Auto Show have decided the next show will take place April 2 - 11, 2021. Press days are March 31 and April 1.

Thresholds for Indicators
Mayor de Blasio introduced indicator thresholds on Friday as a new way to measure coronavirus and the progress in the city. Levels need to stay below the indicator thresholds for 10-14 days to move to a new reopening phase.
- There needs to be less than 200 patients admitted per day to hospitals, double the seasonal rate for similar respiratory infections.
- The threshold for all ICU patients in hospitals, not just COVID-19, is set at 375.
- The threshold for the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in NYC is 15%.

Beaches in NYC not open for swimming, BBQ, sports
New York City beaches are closed and no lifeguards will be on duty. People can walk on the beaches, but they are reminded to continue social distancing. Parks workers and social distancing ambassadors will give out face coverings and have given out 6 million so far. The goal is to give away 12.5 million. 60 vehicles will canvass the city to remind people of the guidelines.

Open Streets
Mayor de Blasio announced that the city would open 13 more miles of city streets to pedestrians. 2.7 of those miles will be adjacent to city parks.

Take Out, Don't Hang Out
A new ad campaign reminds New Yorkers to maintain social distancing while picking up takeout orders. People should not loiter in front of businesses and not open alcoholic containers in public.

Yankee Stadium to host drive-in events
There may not be sports fans in the stadium, but the Yankee Stadium parking lot will be busy come summertime. A hospitality group plans on hosting a series of drive-in events in the stadium's parking lot. A stage, screens and a P.A. system will be set up for events ranging from movie screenings to karaoke.

MAY 21, 2020

Thousands of masks seized from store in Midtown
Federal officials seized a huge amount of masks from a business in Midtown on Thursday. Homeland Security investigators and NYPD officers hauled away box after box from the store Cowboy Wholesale on West 27th Street.

NYPD announces start of 'Summer All Out' program
About 300 NYPD officers will be dispatched to do neighborhood policing around the city this summer. It's part of the NYPD's yearly 'Summer All Out' program, which focuses on preventing an uptick in violence and crime in 10 precincts.

FDNY captain honored
An FDNY captain stationed in the Bronx is being honored during EMS Week for her hard work and sacrifice amid the coronavirus pandemic.

MTA to receive $298M in federal funding
President Trump announced that the MTA will receive $298 million in federal funding from the CARES Act.

Surgeries resume at NYC hospitals
When non-emergency surgeries were put on hold at the height of the COVID-19 crisis, many doctors and hospitals were confronted with the balance of monitoring their patients.

Now that surgeries have resumed, one man in New Jersey was released from the hospital three days after undergoing the first cardiac surgery since the OR reopened at Mount Sinai Morningside.

College grads create cellphone case that kills germs for NYC medical workers
A group of Vanderbilt University graduates has developed a special cellphone case that kills germs -- and now they want to get them in the hands of medical workers.

What started as a fun way to pass the time while quarantined has now morphed into a full-scale operation that is helping health care workers in the tri-state area.

MTA urges New Yorkers to plan alternative travel to beaches
The MTA urged customers Thursday to plan alternative travel through Memorial Day weekend as the agency will continue to run its limited Essential Service Plan implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means commuter trains, subways and buses continue to be reserved for essential workers only. All passengers riding trains or buses are required to wear a mask or face covering and engage in appropriate social distancing.

Summer School
Summer school will be held through distance learning statewide. There will be no in-person learning this summer. A decision has not been made yet on the fall.

Staten Island Ferry increasing service
The Staten Island Ferry is increasing its service to every 30 minutes during the morning and evening commutes, between the hours of 5 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Summer All Out
The city will also continue fighting crime with their existing "Summer All Out" program. 300 officers will span 10 commands in neighborhoods most affected by gun violence.

Food Services
A 97-year-old woman named Sylvia in Sheepshead Bay wrote a poem thanking food service workers. New York City has served 32 million total meals across all city programs since the crisis began. By next week, over 1 million meals will be delivered per day through Emergency Food Delivery. There will also be more than 500,000 grab-and-go meals per day at 500 schools citywide.

MAY 20, 2020

Frontline workers hold vigil to honor victims of COVID-19
Frontline workers came together on Wednesday night for a special tribute to remember the victims of COVID-19.

Hundreds of health care workers at Lenox Hill marched as they held virtual candles high in silent tribute to all they have lost.

Demand for bikes skyrockets at bicycle shop in Queens amid COVID-19 crisis
A bicycle shop in Queens is working nearly around the clock to get bikes into the hands of New Yorkers who need them now more than ever.

NYC summer learning moved up a week
The Department of Education announced it has moved up the dates for some summer learning by a week after getting feedback from school employees and families. Click here for the new dates.

Coalition of small businesses in NYC fights to reopen shops
Store owners in Manhattan are fighting to reopen their doors and say their livelihoods are at stake.

One clothing store on the Upper East Side has defied orders to stay closed. While there were no customers at the Peter Elliot store on Lexington Avenue on Wednesday, the store is ready to sell some shirts -- no matter what the governor says.

Central Park musician offers hope, encouragement amid pandemic
If you've ever walked Central Park you've probably seen him. It's even more likely you've heard him. The long, smooth sounds of his saxophone offer a soundtrack of sorts to the iconic New York City park.

His music has been a constant in the park during the pandemic, even as so much else has changed, offering a sense of peace and pleasure to many a New Yorker passing by.

What beaches are open in NY, NJ and CT?
Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, but during the coronavirus pandemic, life at the beach in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will be somewhat different this year.

NYC restaurateur reimagines post-COVID eatery experience
The coronavirus has changed the way eateries do business, and one New York City restaurateur is reimagining the future of his business as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes.

And moving forward, how customers do things inside the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop on the Lower East Side will resemble a 21st Century take on the automat.

Harlem food bank funded by monies seized from criminals
Food lines are popping up across the New York area during the coronavirus pandemic, helping the poorest neighborhoods. But in Manhattan, one food line is funded by monies seized from the very criminals who used to operate there. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office pays to feed Harlem residents through its Robin Hood-like Criminal Justice Investment Initiative.

Protecting nursing home residents
Mayor Bill de Blasio outlined a four-part plan to help save more lives from coronavirus at New York City's 169 nursing homes. Testing will be done in a blitz and the mayor promised as many tests and lab resources as they need. He also called for increased staffing, outbreak response teams, and a shift to home-based care.

Regular childhood vaccines down
The mayor said the vaccination rate is down 63%. Health officials are urging parents to keep up with their children's regular recommended vaccination schedule.

MAY 19, 2020

Military kicks off first-ever Virtual Fleet Week New York
Fleet Week New York is kicking off virtually for the time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will present Virtual Fleet Week New York 2020 from May 20-26, where it will be hosted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This is the first time the Navy has hosted Fleet Week in a virtual environment.

Once bustling LaGuardia Airport now a ghost town
Airports in the tri-state area that were once bustling with people, long lines and planes are practically empty. They aren't shut down -- but nothing is happening. So how long until the airports come back to life?

The taxiways were once so crowded that people spent hours on planes that went nowhere. Traffic once stood still so long it made people miss their flights. But at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday night, robotic voices now call out to an audience of no one. With flights down nearly 100 percent, LaGuardia is frozen in time.

NYC teenager shares his battle with rare illness linked to COVID-19
A 14-year-old boy from New York City is sharing his story after overcoming the mysterious COVID-19 related inflammatory syndrome that's affecting children.

St. Joseph's College announces tuition freeze for the 2020-2021 academic year
St. Joseph's College has announced a tuition freeze for the 2020-2021 academic year amid financial concerns caused by COVID-19.

NYU plans to conduct in-person classes in fall semester
NYU notified its student body that the university is planning to conduct in person classes this fall, subject to NYC health rules in place at that time. A spokesman further cautioned the letter to students "was a preliminary one," with more to come in the coming weeks.

Metropolitan Museum of Art plans to reopen in mid-August
The Metropolitan Museum of Art says that it is planning to reopen to the public in mid-August or in the weeks following.

The Met also said that the 2020 Costume Institute Benefit, also known as The Met Gala originally scheduled for Monday, May 4, will not take place this year.

Family, colleagues mourn death of beloved Brooklyn doctor
Family and colleagues are mourning the loss of a beloved Brooklyn doctor who died from COVID-19. University Hospital in Brooklyn has seen its share of deaths during the coronavirus pandemic, but the loss of Dr. James Mahoney has shaken the staff to its core.

WeWork asks landlord for breaks on its rent in NYC
Office space giant WeWork is now asking landlords for a break on its rent, reports say. The company had been struggling even before the crisis.

NYC will take 4 years to recover from pandemic unemployment, report says
New York officials say the state Department of Labor has now paid out more than $9 billion to the two million people who have filed for unemployment claims since the pandemic began.
It comes as a new report finds it will take the city to at least four years to reach pre-pandemic employment numbers.

Mom arrested after subway confrontation over mask wants justice
The arrest of a mother who was wrestled to the ground by NYC cops for not wearing a mask last week has apparently changed city and police procedure.

NYC cops will no longer be allowed to arrest people for not wearing masks, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio, and there is now an outpouring of protest over the way she was treated.

Cleaning the subway with UV technology
Starting in subways the MTA is testing 230 miniature, portable UV lamps provided by PURO Lighting, a start-up. They cost $1 million.

Summer learning for NYC students
The mayor and schools chancellor unveiled the summer learning plan for NYC students. It will take place during the following weeks:
July 1-August 13 for Students with disabilities
July 13-August 18 for Grades 3-8
July 13-August 21 for Grades 9-12

Summer activities
The mayor said that the city would have the following summer activities for kids and teens:
Virtual clubs
Virtual field trips and tours
Educational TV and radio programming
Academic prep and acceleration

Queens restaurant worker released after 53 days in hospital
A Queens restaurant worker is now back at home after spending 53 days in the hospital.

Brian Morales went from being a healthy 28-year-old to being placed on a ventilator. He had been sick at home for about two weeks with the coronavirus before he went to Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital in March.

Blood Donations
Blood donations are needed in New York City. Many organizations that normally do blood donation drives are not operating normally due to coronavirus, creating a shortage. To make a donation visit nybc.org or (800) 933-2566.

MAY 18, 2020

NYC's ZIP code map of COVID-19 clusters shows stark disparities
The coronavirus has cut an unequal path of grief through New York City, hitting hardest in a ring of predominantly poorer, nonwhite neighborhoods a long subway and bus ride from Manhattan, according to data released by the city Monday. The new accounting of fatalities by neighborhood revealed that the ZIP code with more deaths per capita than any other place in New York is the one that contains Starrett City, a huge complex of apartment towers in Brooklyn that is the largest federally subsidized housing development in the country.

Staten Island hospital marks 1st day of 0 COVID-19 admissions
A hospital on Staten Island marked its first day of zero coronavirus admissions in two months with new entrance procedures. Staten Island University Hospital announced Monday it did not admit any COVID-19 patients in 24 hours.

MTA helps distribute COVID-19 test kits to nursing homes
The MTA helped distribute more than 47,000 COVID-19 test kits to nursing homes across the five boroughs on Monday.

NYC health commissioner apologizes to NYPD over 'heated exchange'
The New York City Health Commissioner issued an apology Monday over a "heated exchange" with an NYPD top cop. The exchange took place in March when NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan requested half a million surgical masks for officers as the city was working to distribute health supplies to health care workers.
Brooklyn yeshiva ordered to shut down
Police shut down a yeshiva in Brooklyn on Monday after they say there were classes being held with as many as 60 children inside. When officers arrived at the location on 841 Madison Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, they instructed the man operating the school to close.

NYPD sick report
On Monday, 1,035 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 2.9% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,650 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Monday, 5,458 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 112 uniformed members plus 38 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

Sylvia's helping Harlem community by providing meals for those in need
The legendary soul food restaurant historically held Sunday gospel brunch but has now started Sunday supper, providing meals for anyone in need.

Mural tributes health care workers
A Manhattan artist is bringing love and light to the grounds of New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center with a mural that pays tribute to health care workers.

No new DOE deaths
The NYC Department of Education was grateful to announce no reported COVID-related deaths of DOE employees between May 9 and May 15.

Wearable sensor could help safeguard against COVID-19, get people back to work
Experts agree one of the best ways to stay safe during the pandemic is to continue practicing social distancing, but sometimes it is hard to know if you are 6 feet away from someone else -- but that's where high tech can help.

What will returning to work look like during the COVID-19 pandemic? It's something everyone is trying to picture as more businesses start opening up.

Phased reopening could begin in June
New York City is not ready yet, but Mayor Bill de Blasio is optimistic that a phased reopening could begin in the first half of June.

Some NYC beach restrictions eased
On Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio detailed his expectations for city beaches as some restrictions are eased amid increased COVID-19 testing.

Alternate Side Parking
Alternate Side Parking resumes this week with the exception of Thursday due to Ascension Day. Alternate Side Parking will again be suspended next week.

Made in NYC test kits
Mayor Bill de Blasio said as of Monday, H+H testing sites will be using "Made in NYC" testing kits, and will have 60,000 test kits created per week by June 1.
The Economic Development Corporation oversaw the development of the test kits. Print Parts made the swabs, Albert Einstein College made the transport mediums, and Collab in Brooklyn provided the design.

Antibody Testing
Testing begins for 140,000 first responders and health care workers in NYC. To get tested, you can visit FirstSeroSurveyNYC.com or text NYC to 78378.

MAY 17, 2020

Not-for-profit gives away supplies outside NYC soup kitchen
A not-for-profit organization is giving away clothing and supplies in conjunction with a church in Manhattan which hosts a weekly Sunday soup kitchen. Sidewalk Samaritan handed out shoes, socks, shirts, toiletry kits and even jackets, sleeping bags and beverages which were donated by other organizations.

NYC reaches COVID testing goal; 1,000 tracers by end of month
New York City reached it's goal of 20,000 COVID-19 tests per day a week early and is on track to have 1,000 tracers in the field by the end of May, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday.

NYC partners with CityMD to provide diagnostic testing for 123 sites across all five boroughs. The new testing is said to produce 6,000 diagnostic tests daily, seven days per week. Walk-ins are welcome and there's no cost for the uninsured.

New MTA app for essential workers
The MTA announced the launching of the "Essential Connector" app to help essential workers plan their alternative travel to or from work during the overnight subway closure from 1 to 5 a.m. Essential workers can use the new app to navigate and take advantage of the MTA's dramatically enhanced bus service schedule - a 76% increase in overnight trips and 150% boost in the operational fleet - or book an eligible for-hire-vehicle where bus service is not workable at no cost.
NYC beaches update
NYC beaches will not be open for Memorial Day, Mayor de Blasio announced. He said "it's not the right thing to do." de Blasio said the beaches might open at some point during the summer, but conditions are not right yet.

TD 5 Boro Bike Tour Cancelled
Bike New York announced the cancellation of this year's TD Five Boro Bike Tour due to the impacts of COVID-19.

MAY 16, 2020

Brooklyn soundstage provides space to charity fighting hunger

A soundstage in Brooklyn is now serving as a staging area for food preparations. "Broadway Stages" is letting the "Campaign Against Hunger" use a warehouse in Canarsie that would otherwise be dark.
New York City experiencing blood shortage

New York City is running out of blood. Before the pandemic, blood drives at businesses, churches and other sites were the biggest source of donated blood in the New York area. Now, blood drives have almost completely stopped.

Dozens of dinners distributed in Bronx food drive
A food bank distribution was held to help the hungry Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Barclays Center hosts pop-up food bank
Barclays Center became a pop-up food bank again in Brooklyn. A line formed around the arena Friday afternoon as people sought out meat, dairy and a variety of produce.

Ferry service changes coming Monday
Service and scheduling changes are coming to New York City's ferry systems. Due to low ridership, weekday and weekend service will end at 9 p.m. Routes on the Lower East Side, South Brooklyn and Soundview in the Bronx will also be reconfigured.

NYC tourist arrested after posting Hawaii beach photos
A tourist from New York City was arrested for allegedly violating Hawaii's traveler quarantine after he posted on Instagram photos of himself sunbathing and carrying a surfboard, state officials said.

Queens community helps Muslims observing Ramadan
An interfaith event highlighted the importance of community during the pandemic. The Jackson Heights Community Church served more than 100 Iftar meals to Muslim community members.

Iftar is the traditional meal of breaking fast observed by Muslims after sundown during Ramadan.

Push to limit, educate crowds in NYC parks
New York City launched its new effort Saturday to limit crowding in parks and other areas where people gather. The city is deploying 2,260 Social Distancing Ambassadors and Supervisors to help set parameters and provide guidance.

MAY 15, 2020
Girl recovers from inflammatory syndrome
Chavely Rodriguez says it became a terrifying situation for her and her 3-year-old daughter Alany. She was admitted and treated at Hackensack University Medical Center after developing symptoms of the mystery syndrome due to COVID-19.

Limiting Park Access
With nice weather in the forecast, New York City is taking precautions to limit crowding in parks and other areas where people might gather. The NYPD will limit access to Sheep Meadow in Central Park, Hudson River Park Piers 45 and 46 this weekend.

COVID-19 Heat Wave Plan
Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the city's COVID-19 Heat Wave Plan. It has three goals:
- Keep vulnerable New Yorkers cool and safe at home
- Give New Yorkers safe positive cooling options
- Prevent power outages and be able to respond to the quickly

Under the new plan, $55 million will be used to purchase more than 74,000 air conditioners. 22,000 will go to NYCHA residents and installations start next week. $20 million in funding comes from NYSERDA. Eligible New Yorkers will be identified by NYCHA, DFTA, HRA, and HPD. The city also wants to offer a subsidy on summer utility bills and use some potential federal stimulus funding. Cooling centers will be available, but will maintain social distancing.

Free pet food available through ASPCA
The ASPCA is launching free pet food distribution centers in New York City and across the U.S. Locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx are offering free dog and cat food and supplies for struggling pet owners.
MAY 14, 2020

Legendary pizzeria reopens, struggles to stay open again
There has been some discussion from city officials and city council to allow restaurants and bars to expand onto the sidewalk and into public spaces. On Bleecker Street, there's not a lot of space to do that - so the idea is to transform the streets into a dining space.

Behind-the-scenes look at MTA bus drivers during COVID-19 pandemic
In an Eyewitness News exclusive, we're getting an in-depth look at the pivotal role city bus drivers play in getting essential workers on the front lines during the pandemic.

Church in Queens hit especially hard by COVID-19 finds way to give back
A local church has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn't stopped its members and leaders from giving back to the community.

At St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Queens, there is little that the congregation can do for the families of so many in the immigrant community who have died. There is a list of about 60 members who have died, but it is estimated there are dozens more.

Knicks' Taj Gibson distributes meals at NYCHA complex where he grew up
New York Knick Taj Gibson has a special connection with the Ingersoll Houses - he was raised there. This time he is back to salute all the NYCHA employees and police.

NYPD deaths
The NYPD announced the death of School Safety Agent Melvin Rascoe, who battled the disease for almost a month and a half. Melvin served with the NYPD for nearly 15 years and kept thousands of students in Queens safe.

NYPD sick report
On Thursday, 1,176 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 3.3% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,515 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Thursday, 5,265 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 155 uniformed members plus 53 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus

Disney's 'Frozen' will not reopen on Broadway after COVID-19
The big budget musical "Frozen" will not reopen when Broadway theaters restart, marking the first time an established show has been felled by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Disney show opened in March 2018 and placed among the top five Broadway productions for both gross and attendance over both years it ran, often pulling in over $1 million, and even $2 million a week.

Hundreds line up for food in Corona, Queens
Hundreds of people lined up for hours in Queens for free bags of food. Lines stretched for five blocks outside the Elmcor Food Pantry in Corona. The largely immigrant community is struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.

Opera singer giving nightly sidewalk concerts in Brooklyn
Concerts and shows may be canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, but music is alive and well. Every night on Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights, just before the front line workers are applauded at 7 p.m., there's an intimate opera performance by a longtime resident and teacher.

Peter Kendall Clark performs solo sometimes, other times with a friend, always perched on the ledge of Mansion House.

Mom arrested after subway confrontation with NYPD over mask
A video posted on social media showing the NYPD arresting a 22-year-old mother with a child during a confrontation over wearing a mask is sparking calls for procedural changes in social distancing enforcement. The incident happened just before noon Wednesday inside the Atlantic Avenue/Barclays Center subway station, where police officers handing out masks encountered Kaleemah Rozier, who they say had a mask around her neck and immediately became belligerent when asked to put it on.

Expanding Testing in NYC
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city is expanding its testing efforts. The city now recommends residents get tested if:
- You have COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of age, chronic conditions, or occupation
- Come in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient, regardless of symptoms
- Work in a congregate residential setting (nursing home, shelter, or adult care facility), regardless of symptoms

You can visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find a community testing center near you.

MAY 13, 2020

NYC tour guides offer glimpse into future post-COVID-19
As we dig deep into how to rebuild our economy after the coronavirus, New York City tour guides offer a glimpse into the future, from those who know the past.

b]Queens diner starts make-shift drive-in theater to drum up business
A restaurant in Queens has adapted its business by turning its parking lot into a drive-in movie theater.

It's the ultimate small business riddle: How do you fill your restaurant when you can't let anyone in? The Dellaportis family adapted big time after Gov. Andrew Cuomo allowed the drive-in theater, a relic of yesteryear, that is also a socially distant activity.

Nurse quits job, sails to NYC to help battle COVID-19
When a nurse from Virginia first heard the coronavirus pandemic hit, she quit her job, hopped on her boat, and sailed hundreds of miles to answer the call for help in New York City.

NYPD sick report
On Wednesday, 1,187 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 3.3% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,490 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Wednesday, 5,217 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 171 uniformed members plus 61 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos donate $500,000 to support NYC homeless
"Live with Kelly and Ryan" host Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos have donated half a million dollars to Win, the largest provider of shelter and services to homeless mothers and their children in New York City, to help homeless families cope with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Win houses 10% of all the homeless families in New York City every night, and the donation will help ensure that homeless children have every technology need met so they can excel in these times of virtual learning.

MTA adds social distancing markers, floats idea of bus, subway reservations
The MTA is making plans for the future, testing social distancing markers at some stations and floating the idea of bus and subway rides by reservation. There are now Xs at the Lexington Avenue/53rd Street station on the Queens-bound E/M platform and at the 51st Street station on the 6 line to indicate where riders can stand to maintain proper distancing. MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye suggested that riders in the future could be asked to reserve a space on a bus or train ahead of time in order to reduce density and facilitate distancing.

New York City Council considering package of 'urgently needed protections' for restaurant industry
The New York City Council is considering a number of measures to help restaurants, bars and clubs reopen safely as the peak of the coronavirus pandemic wanes. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the NYC Hospitality Alliance hosted a virtual news conference Wednesday on the future of the nightlife industry.

Hospitalizations, ICU admissions up slightly
Two of NYC's three COVID-19 tracking indicators were up Wednesday, Mayor de Blasio said. 78 people were admitted to hospitals, up from 51 the day before. 561 were in H+H ICUs, up from 550.
The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in the city was 13%, down from 14% one day earlier.

NYC PMIS cases now 82
New York City is now reporting 82 cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS), Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. 53 of those patients tested positive for COVID-19 or antibodies. One has died. The city launched a multilingual PSA campaign Wednesday to inform parents and caregivers.

12 more miles of Open Streets beginning Thursday
The city's Open Streets initiative, designed to give pedestrians and cyclists more space to exercise while practicing social distancing, will expand by 12 more miles Thursday. 9.2 miles of protected bike lanes will also be opening across the city through the month of May.

Pre-K offers out, many families receive top choices
Pre-K offers went out Wednesday to 61,790 NYC students and their families. A record 90% of families received offers to one of their top three choices, Mayor de Blasio said. Seats are still available. If you have a child born in 2016, visit myschools.nyc or call 718-935-2009.

MAY 12, 2020

Coalition formed to bring tourists back to the city post-COVID-19
NYC & Company is forming a coalition to figure out how to get tourists back to New York City once the coronavirus pandemic is over.

The company, which is the official marketing organization for tourism in the city, made an announcement on Tuesday that leaders of hotels, restaurants, sports organizations and art institutions have formed a coalition to oversee marketing and promoting New York City with social distancing guidelines in mind.

NYC businesses weigh dangers of reopening amid COVID-19 crisis
Many businesses in New York City are struggling with the potential dangers of reopening too soon amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduces bill to provide burial costs for COVID-19 victims
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has co-introduced a bill to try to force the federal government to cover funeral expenses of coronavirus victims.

Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Barbara Lee, of California, introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act on Tuesday. The bill would require FEMA to give the families of the deceased $10,000 each to cover costs.

Broadway star Nick Cordero wakes up after month in coma
Broadway star Nick Cordero has woken up from a medically induced coma after more than a month, his wife announced on Instagram. Cordero's wife, celebrity fitness instructor Amanda Kloots, announced the good news Tuesday.

58 days since last pedestrian killed in NYC
As a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, 58 days have passed since a pedestrian was fatally struck in New York City, officials say.

This marks the longest stretch since the city began tracking pedestrian fatalities in 1983.

NYPD sick report
On Tuesday, 1,245 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 3.5% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,460 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Tuesday, 5,160 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 191 uniformed members plus 68 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

7OYS helps save Navy vet's NYC restaurant that opened during pandemic
A New York City restaurant owned by a Navy veteran didn't have the best timing when its grand opening happened the day before restaurants were ordered closed.

The brand-new business survived saluting soldiers with take-out, until a giant credit card payment for thousands of meals pushed them to the brink of bankruptcy. That is when Louis Quinones sent 7 On Your Side an SOS for help.

Twitter account 'Room Rater' judges best, worst backdrops on TV
A new viral Twitter account called Room Rater is handing out grades for the best and the worst backgrounds. It's a fun critique of mostly politicians, journalists but also celebrities.

Family to sue after woman's body found in truck outside NYC funeral home
A family from Brooklyn announced plans Tuesday to sue a funeral home that they say mishandled and desecrated the remains of their loved one. The family of 77-year-old Angela Rodriguez, who passed away on March 24, said they made arrangements for cremation with Dekalb Funeral Services.

But on May 7, they say they got a call from the Medical Examiner's Office that Rodriguez's body was found stacked with others in unrefrigerated trucks outside Andrew T. Cleckley Funeral Services.

Part of Rikers without heat during weekend freeze
Family members with loved ones in Rikers continue to express concerns about the living conditions inside the jail as they remain unable to visit their loved ones amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Broadway offering refunds through Labor Day
With no date to resume shows, Broadway theaters are now offering refunds/exchanges for shows through Labor Day. Broadway performances were suspended on March 12, 2020.

NYC Schools in September
What will school look like for New York City kids in September, no one knows yet, but "We're looking at any and all options," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Among the different scenarios posed to the mayor were staggered school days, staggered school hours, partial distance learning, and distance learning. "Staggered hours or a hybrid approach," are being considered, he said.

Homeless Services
The city is experiencing, "consistent results every single night," Mayor de Blasio said of the outreach effort. 362 homeless people were engaged Monday night. 211 accepted services. 178 individuals were taken to shelters and 33 were transported to a hospital.

Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Latest
There are 52 cases and 10 pending for Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in New York City. 25 children tested positive for COVID-19 and 22 had antibodies. There is 1 fatality reported.

Tracing and Isolation Team
Dr. Neil Vora was hired as the Director of Tracing and Dr. Amanda Johnson was named the Director of Isolation for New York City.
So far, 7,000 applications for contact tracers have been received. 535 contact tracers are undergoing Johns Hopkins University training. The mayor says the goal is to have 2,500 tracers in place by early June. If you'd like to apply visit: nyc.gov/traceteam.

Additionally, Grace Bonilla was hired as the Executive Director of the Equity and Racial Inclusion Task Force.

NYC Increases H+H Testing
The city is adding 12 new Health+Hospitals testing sites in all five boroughs over the next two weeks. The city can currently test 5,100 people per day for COVID-19. The week of May 18, two sites will be added in Manhattan and Brooklyn, bringing the number of tests performed to 6,300. Then 10 more sites will be added in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island the week of May 25 to bring testing up to 10,700 per day.

Telethon raises $115M for New Yorkers
Tina Fey shed tears after announcing that more than $115 million was raised toward supporting New Yorkers impacted by COVID-19 during Robin Hood's Rise Up New York telethon. "Thank you, thank you," said a tearful Fey, the host of the Rise Up New York! event Monday evening. The Emmy-winning actress along with other A-list celebrities from Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Strahan asked for donations to help relief and recovery efforts.

MAY 11, 2020

30 teachers among 74 DOE employees to die of COVID-19
The New York City Department of Education said it has now lost 74 employees to COVID-19.

On Monday, official announced the two new deaths. All but four of the 74 DOE employees who died were based in schools across the city.

Couple accused of hate crimes after pulling mask off Hasidic man in Brooklyn
A husband and wife are facing hate crime charges for allegedly snatching the face mask off a Hasidic man and making anti-Semitic comments related to COVID-19. The incident was reported Sunday night at the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Ross Street.

ABC News reports Paul Pinho allegedly called 911 to report a large crowd gathering, according to police. He and his wife allegedly got out of their car, accosted the men, shouting out slurs and attempted to take away their face coverings, according to the NYPD.

NYPD sick report
On Monday, 1,236 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 3.4% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,422 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Monday, 5,084 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 225 uniformed members plus 72 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus

Queens mother discharged from hospital after battling COVID-19 while pregnant
A Queens mother was discharged from the hospital Monday after battling COVID-19 while pregnant. Doctors and nurses at Jamaica Hospital delivered the baby prematurely to save Tasnim Shaheen's life.

On March 24th, when Shaheen was pregnant with her third child, she was taken to the hospital with flu-like symptoms. She initially was admitted to the labor unit for coronavirus, but within two days, her symptoms got worse, and she was sent to the intensive care unit and was placed on a ventilator. Doctors then performed a C-section after Shaheen developed acute kidney injuries as well as pneumonia.

How dining experiences will change as restaurants reopen
Restaurants make up the fabric, look and feel of New York City, and as many of them plan to reopen in the weeks ahead, they're making big changes.

The dining experience as we know it will be altered for the near future.

Rethink Food NYC launches new effort to save Chinatown
Community advocates are stepping in to makes sure that the residents of Chinatown are fed and its businesses supported so that it can continue to exist past the COVID-19 pandemic.

The social and economic effects of the outbreak have walloped Chinatown, and overall business has plummeted since February. Now, months later, it's the residents who are suffering.

Equinox unveils reopening plan, including weekly visit limits and increased cleaning
Equinox has unveiled its reopening plan, which comes with ramped up cleaning and sanitation, health checks, limited club capacity, PPE, contactless features, and changes in etiquette.

Club officials said they had established a task force including medical and infectious disease experts to develop the reopening strategy.

Study says virus death toll in NYC worse than official tally
New York City's death toll from the coronavirus may be thousands of fatalities worse than the official tally kept by the city and state, according to an analysis released Monday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Between mid-March and early May, about 24,000 more people died in the city than researchers would ordinarily expect, based on the season, the report said. That's about 5,300 more deaths that had been previously attributed to the coronavirus during that time period.

Strengthening community healthcare providers
De Blasio said the city will fortify 1,000-plus community health providers serving NYC's hardest hit neighborhoods across all five boroughs. De Blasio said the city is working to:

- Supply clinics in these areas with PPE to restore essential primary care (120,000 surgical masks per week and 115,000 gloves per week)
- Provide access to hundreds of volunteers through the medical Reserve Corps to help providers serve high-risks patients.
- Expand tele-health services at 150 community providers, host weekly webinars
- Partner with providers to expand and implement test and trace, enlist more to refer patients to isolation hotels
- Help providers access federal COVID-19 funding, maximize reimbursement

Saving small businesses
De Blasio announced he's created a new position and naming Greg Bishop as Senior Advisor for Small Business COVID-19 Recovery. Bishop is in charge with finding whole new sources of capital for small businesses. De Blasio also named Jonnel Doris as commissioner of small business services.

Protecting homeless New Yorkers
De Blasio said 8,000 single adults-nearly half of adult single shelter population-are now in hotel rooms. Additionally, de Blasio said 261 people who are homeless were "engaged" last night.
139 of them accepted services (116 placed in shelters, 23 sent to the hospital).

Alternate Side Parking resumes
The city will resume Alternate Side Parking for the week of May 18-24 for a "clean sweep" citywide.

MAY 10, 2020

How Manhattan street corner erupts into outdoor dance party at 7 p.m.
A street corner in Murray Hill has been erupting into an outdoor dance party on most nights at 7 p.m. all because of a neighbor.
Mathias Jorge has been blasting upbeat music from his fourth-floor window for several minutes after the nightly applause for frontline workers.

Protecting homeless New Yorkers
As NYC continues its efforts of closing down the subway overnight for cleaning, homeless outreach workers engaged 416 homeless individuals, and 212 of those accepted services. On Saturday night, 384 people were engaged and 198 people accepted services.

The mayor said these numbers are amazing and such numbers have not been seen before.

Social distancing education
The city will increase civilian Social Distancing Ambassadors from 1,000 to 2,000. The city will increase face covering distribution and ensure all front-line staff, including NYPD, wear face coverings when in contact with the public.

Pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome
There are now 38 cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome detected and nine more cases are pending investigation. Of those, 47% tested positive for COVID-19 and 81% had antibodies. One fatality has been reported.

Actions taken by NYC: Hospitals will test all children with symptoms for antibodies, convene a citywide conference with H+H and DOHMH, alert parents of more than one million children and direct Regional Enrichment Centers to increase enforcement of masks and the use of sanitizer.

Health insurance for public servants' families
At least 260 public servants have lost their lives fighting COVID-19. The city will extend health insurance for surviving family members of municipal employees for 45 days.

The city is fighting for benefits to the families in the next stimulus bill.

Need for Remdesivir
Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a message for the federal government: NYC needs Remdesivir. Initial trials show it decreased hospital stays from 15 to 11 days in severely ill COVID-19 patients.

There are more than half a million doses in federal control, and de Blasio is asking the feds for 39,000 doses for May.

Queens food giveaway
NY Sen. Jessica Ramos is working with farmers upstate to supply dairy and produce to anyone who needs it. Most of the food would have been thrown out because of disruptions in the supply chain.

MAY 9, 2020

Network of 24 COVID testing sites to open at NYC churches in hard-hit minority communities
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that New York is partnering with Northwell Health to open 24 temporary COVID testing sites at churches in predominantly low-income communities of color.

Infection rate among transit workers below NYC average
Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that tests show the infection rate among public transit workers is below the average of all of New York City. The governor said 1,300 transit workers have been given antibody tests and 14.2% of them tested positive. The average for New York City overall is 19.9%.

MAY 8, 2020

5-year-old boy dies of COVID-related complications
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a 5-year-old boy in New York City had died from COVID-related complications, but it was not immediately clear if the child was also being treated for the inflammatory syndrome. Cuomo says there are now 73 reported cases of severe illness in children.

Homeless on MTA bus in Brooklyn
20 homeless people took shelter on an MTA shuttle bus in Coney Island.

Rent freeze vote
The Rent Guidelines Board took a preliminary vote and decided to freeze rents on one-year leases in New York City.

New entry rules possible for some NYC parks

Mayor Bill de Blasio may unveil new entry rules Friday to cut down on crowds at some New York City parks. The new guidelines are expected to target places like Domino Park in Williamsburg, where there has been overcrowding on warm days.

MAY 7, 2020

More than 20 clergy die of COVID-19
They are the people who help their congregations cop during times of loss and crisis -- and now their congregations are trying to figure out how to cope without them.

Members of the clergy are considered essential workers who know their job is to be close to people, but for some, it cost them their lives.

NYC small businesses taking first steps in reopening amid COVID-19 pandemic
As the number of COVID-19 cases appear to be on the decline in New York City, many small businesses that have been shuttered for months are now slowly reopening.

It's not quite business as usual in Manhattan, but for store owners, it's a first step out of a nightmare.

'Caravan for Justice' protests violent social distancing arrests in NYC
Despite mounting pressure to stop using police to enforce social distancing and data showing that such arrests disproportionately affect people of color, Mayor Bill de Blasio stood by the practice on Thursday, saying: "We're not going to sideline the NYPD."

There was a bumper-to-bumper Black Lives Matter protest later Thursday night on streets that have been silent for weeks -- the "Caravan for Justice" was a deafening chorus of car horns protesting in the age of COVID-19.

Homeless flock to buses meant for essential workers during subway shutdown
Every night, with the subway shut down for cleaning during the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of homeless New Yorkers are herded out of the subways. It is the first time in history the entire system is shut down, with train halted between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Homeless advocates are providing services to the people being moved off the trains at 29 terminus stations, including the Stillwell Avenue station in Coney Island, where the homeless were offered shelter by teams of outreach workers. But many refused, demanding to board shuttle buses so they could spend the night riding with the essential workers the system is intended to transport.

Staten Island nurse accused of stealing credit card from patient dying of COVID-19
Danielle Conti, 43, a nurse at Staten Island University Hospital, is facing several charges -- including grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny.
Police say she used the dying patient's credit card to buy gas and groceries. She allegedly stole the card while making her rounds at the hospital.

NYC school cafeterias averaging nearly 500,000 meals per day amid pandemic
Throughout the country, schools have transformed into food hubs for families who might otherwise go hungry during this pandemic.

In New York City, The Department of Education has committed to providing meals to anyone in need across all five boroughs Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 475 schools. Recipients do not have to have school-aged children and do not have to sign up in advance. The meals are provided no questions asked.

Iconic store closes
Gem Spa, an East Village landmark, announced it has closed its doors for good amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The store, famous for its legendary egg creams, initially closed when COVID-19 restrictions were first put in place.

TV, movie production looks ahead to restart after production halted
Film and TV production across the country shut down almost two months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, but before that, Hollywood on the Hudson had never been busier. New York state and city tax incentives led to a boom in production, and the proliferation of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ meant there were barely enough qualified people to fill all the jobs.

Almost all of those 76,000 people are now unemployed, and the total payroll for all these workers soared past $5 billion per year before the outbreak. But the city is looking forward to restarting production.

NYC to expand antibody testing to 140,000 residents
New York City will expand its antibody testing program to 140,000 residents beginning next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. The 140,000 tests, available to all residents, will be in addition to the 140,000 antibody tests announced earlier specifically for health care workers and first responders.

The tests announced Thursday will be available by appointment only at testing sites around the city. The city will start making appointments Friday.

NYC to convene COVID-19 domestic violence work group
NYC is stepping up its efforts to prevent domestic and gender-based violence during the COVID-19 crisis. The Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence will convene a COVID-19 Response Work Group made up of 20 citywide service providers. The 24/7 hotline to report cases of domestic and gender-based violence is 1-800-621-4673.

Tele-medicine expansion
NYC Health and Hospitals is expanding its ability to offer health care to patients at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor de Blasio announced a new Phone-a-Clinician Hotline. NYC residents with health concerns can call 844-NYC-4NYC.

H+H is moving toward a goal of 80% of all ambulatory visits handled via Tele-Health for the duration of the coronavirus crisis, the mayor said. That's about 16,000 tele-medicine visits per week.

2 more miles of streets open to pedestrians & cyclists
Eleven blocks of Broadway are part of the two more miles of city streets that close to cars and open to pedestrians and cyclists Thursday morning as part of an expansion of the city's "open streets" plan to make more room for socially distance amid the coronavirus crisis.

MAY 6, 2020

NYC doctor separated from 14-month-old son to fight COVID-19
A doctor at Mount Sinai has saved people dying from COVID-19, but it has also cost her precious time with her 14-month-old baby.

No matter how much progress New York is making in reducing the curve, people are still dying. All the time. If that truth wasn't hard enough, Dr. Angela Chen, of Mount Sinai Hospital, has also had to make the terrible sacrifice of spending the past seven weeks apart from her 14-month-old son, Theo, in order to fight the coronavirus.

NYU Langone among first to enroll patients in vaccine trial
NYU Langone is becoming one of the first centers to enroll patients in a U.S. clinical trial for a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. In cooperation with Pfizer and BioNTech, the first patients were dosed to test whether four experimental mRNA vaccine candidates can prevent infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

3 NYPD deaths
The NYPD announced three more department deaths in one day: School Safety Agent George Santiago, assigned to the School Safety Division, served New York City for nearly 19 years; Traffic Enforcement Agent Pat Nicholls, assigned to the Traffic Special Operations Section, had more than 22 years on the job; and Supervisor of School Security Kevin Bostic, assigned to Patrol Borough Queens South School Safety, dedicated more than 28 years.

NYPD sick report
On Wednesday, 1,666 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 4.6% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,300 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus.

As of Wednesday, 4,779 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 373 uniformed members plus 108 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

How Brooklyn kindergarten teacher makes learning special
So anxious to learn, the kindergarten students in Zenzile Dabreo's class can't wait for their lessons.
Now, with the COVID-19 virus, Dabreo's classroom is her kitchen. Normally any other time, Dabreo's kindergarten class would be a beehive of activity, with all sorts of teaching moments, but lesson plans have now changed.

Lines at Queens food pantry stretch for 8 blocks
The loss of jobs and income is showing up in the economy in so many ways. A line at a Queens food pantry stretched for 8 blocks on Wednesday.

At one of the hardest-hit communities, in Corona, a food pantry at Elmcor, located on Northern Boulevard opens at noon on Wednesdays and goes until 4 p.m., or until they run out of food. Last week, they served at least 540 families.

Brooklyn Borough President hands out food to residents
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is making sure the people he represents are getting the help they need.

Adams handed out food Tuesday at a senior center in Bedford-Stuyvesant. He also went around the neighborhood and handed out masks.

JetBlue to flyover NYC Thursday evening
JetBlue will flyover New York City to salute healthcare workers and first responders on Thursday. The flyover is set to happen at 7 p.m. as part of the Clap Because We Care movement.

The flyover will include the airline's three New York-themed special liveries honoring the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), New York Police Department (NYPD) and all who live in and love New York (I LOVE NY/Empire State Development).

More City Streets Opening
The city is opening 1.5 more miles of streets to pedestrians in working with the Business Improvement District.

Homeless services to individuals on subways

139 homeless individuals out of 252 agreed to accept services and come in off the streets and out of the subways during the overnight shutdown. "That number is extraordinary," Mayor de Blasio said. "We have to sustain it in many, many ways, we have a lot of work to do." The mayor then thanked the NYPD and other services for their roles in helping that happen.

Sector Advisory Councils announced
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the creation of several Sector Advisory Councils to help the city reopen when that time comes.
They include:
Small Business
Large Business
Labor and Workforce Development
Arts, Culture and Tourism
Faith-Based Organizations
Construction and Real Estate
Nonprofits and Social Services
Public Health and Healthcare
Education and Vocational Training
Surface Transportation

Overnight subway shutdown begins
Subway trains, which had been running on a reduced schedule since late March, are now going to be stopped from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. each day for coronavirus cleaning.

Twins go home
A pair of twins have now been discharged from Flushing Hospital in Queens after their mother tested positive for COVID-19.

Sushi restaurant feeds medical workers
The owner of Kissaki, Mark Garcia, prepared 50 meals for workers at Mount Sinai Hospital Tuesday.

MAY 5, 2020

Woman thrilled to see daughter after 1 month in rehab in Brooklyn
A woman was grateful to be discharged following one month in rehabilitation after being diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Hospital staff at Atrium Rehabilitation Center Facility in Brooklyn gave Alice a rousing sendoff through the halls to meet her daughter at the entrance of the building on Tuesday.

Officer punched in face during violent arrest in Brooklyn, police say
The NYPD is investigating a violent arrest in Brooklyn that was caught on camera.

The incident happened on Sunday in East New York, where police approached a group of people who were not properly social distancing in front of a building.

NYPD sick report
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 1,813 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 5.0% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,271 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. As of today, Tuesday, May 5th, 4,652 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 452 uniformed members plus 129 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

NYC subway overnight shutdown begins tonight
The MTA's plan to shut down subway service to clean trains and stations during the coronavirus pandemic takes effect overnight Wednesday.

FDNY adds ambulances to its fleet
The FDNY announced on their Instagram that they have added 100 ambulances to its fleet by leasing 81 ambulances from Florida. The ambulances have arrived in New York City, and will be deployed into service as EMTs and paramedics continue to respond to New Yorkers in need.

Amazon warehouse employee dies
An Amazon warehouse employee on Staten Island has died of COVID-19. The employee was last onsite April 5 and tested positive for the virus on April 11.

Doctors in NYC flag mysterious illness in children, many had COVID-19
Doctors in New York City are now sounding the alarm on a mysterious illness being seen in children.

The syndrome was first reported in Europe and is believed to be linked to COVID-19. Doctors say 15 children have been hospitalized with symptoms similar to toxic shock syndrome or Kawasaki Disease.
Hunts Point market trying to meet new demands during pandemic
Hunts Point is a busy place in the middle of the night with thousands of essential workers getting food to the places where people can purchase it.

Every night they load and unload trucks full of produce to get to restaurants and grocery stores. They've had to adapt since the pandemic hit.

Vintage Skytyper planes honor NY health care workers, first responders
A fleet of vintage WWII planes honored New York hospital workers, first responders, essential workers and all others affected by COVID-19 Tuesday by writing giant messages of thanks and hope in the sky.

The airplanes flew over the five boroughs of New York City, as well as Long Island and Westchester County, just before noon.

Professional musician uses virtual music classes to entertain kids
When Ryan Rickenbach moved to New York City to chase his dream of being a professional musician, he never imagined his mobs of screaming fans would be 2-year-olds on a virtual call.

But this children's entertainer by day, singer-songwriter by night wouldn't trade his path for anything.

Mayor de Blasio compares Trump to Herbert Hoover, says 'have a heart'
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio started his daily briefing by calling out President Donald Trump for his refusal to give New York a federal bailout.

Mayor de Blasio called Trump, 'A former New Yorker who seems to enjoy stabbing his hometown in the back." Then, he went on to compare the president to Depression-Era President Herbert Hoover.

Path stations closing overnight
PATH announced they will be closing the 9th Street and 23rd Street stations overnight from midnight to 5 a.m. starting Wednesday, May 6. The temporary station closures will remain in effect through the duration of the emergency orders. PATH riders on the Journal Square - 33rd Street line can access PATH via the Christopher Street, 14th Street, or 33rd Street stations, which will continue to operate 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted.

Health alert for children
Mayor de Blasio commented on the new health alert concerning an inflammatory syndrome detected in children. Four of the 15 patients, ages 2-15, tested positive for COVID-19, and six others had antibodies. "This is something that is causing concern and we wanted to let all New Yorkers know about it," the mayor said.

311 new call centers
Mayor de Blasio announced that the city hired 286 new call takers and opened 4 new call centers. They also enlisted some FDNY and NYPD leadership positions. There are call "express lanes" for COVID-19 and food issues.
Typical peak volume wait times have dropped 75%.

MAY 4, 2020

Hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise
Bias attacks against Asian Americans are on the rise according to the NYPD's latest crimes report for April.

The narrow streets of Chinatown felt like a hauntingly, empty movie set on Monday night. As if the once vibrant community has not suffered enough, officials announced on Monday that hate crimes and bias incidents against Asian Americans are on the rise.

72 DOE deaths
The New York City Department of Education said it has now lost 72 employees to COVID-19.
On Monday, official announced the four new deaths. All but three of the 72 DOE employees who died were based in schools across the city.

NYPD sick report
On Monday, 1,855 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 5.2% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,237 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus.

As of Monday, 4,538 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 535 uniformed members plus 126 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

MTA details overnight subway shutdown, travel alternatives
With subway service set to halt for overnight cleaning beginning at 1 a.m. Wednesday, the MTA elaborated Monday on the plan they hope will help stop the spread of the coronavirus among riders and workers.

Domestic violence up during pandemic, as WomanKind aims to help victims
Domestic violence is on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, as victims are often quarantined with their abusers and can't get away.

New NYCFC soccer player uniting with team through music
One of the newest faces on NYCFC's soccer club is already making an impact without even playing a match amid the coronavirus pandemic -- Gudmundur Thorarinsson is uniting with his teammates through song.

Soup kitchen answers the call amid pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically increased the need for and strain on food banks, the state's largest soup kitchen continues to answer the call.

The line stretches around the block at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Chelsea, not due to the social distancing gaps but because of the need.

New Yorkers leave city during COVID-19 pandemic, unsure of return
Many New Yorkers are deciding to flee city dwellings, opting for suburban areas with more space for their families in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bereavement Task Force convened after bodies found at NYC funeral home
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Monday convened the Bereavement Task Force, created after 100 bodies were found in unrefrigerated trucks outside a Brooklyn funeral home last week.

The task force includes funeral home directors, faith leaders, morgue operators, cemeteries, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and other stakeholders and seeks to find policy solutions that "ensure decedents are being treated in a dignified manner and allow their loved ones to lay their bodies to rest peacefully."

Homeless New Yorker describes struggles amid pandemic
One man, who lives in a tent city under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway says he's seen a huge difference in crowds since the pandemic began.

He says he could usually make more than $100 a day panhandling, but now that everyone is staying home, he's struggling to make enough to eat.

City handing out 7.5 million face coverings for free
New York City will distribute 7.5 million face coverings for free. 5 million will be 3-ply non-medical masks and 2.5 million will be cloth face coverings. They will be given out at NYCHA, DOE Grab & Go meal sites, parks, Mitchell-Lama buildings, grocery stores, during social distancing enforcement and more. Locations listed HERE.

1 Week Supply of PPE
The mayor touted the production of PPE in New York City, saying that there is now enough to supply the city for the week. This is the first time the city has had enough to last that length of time since March. There are also deliveries of PPE planned for nursing homes including nearly 2 million masks, 170,000 face shields, 173,000 gowns, 767,000 gloves, along with thousands of coveralls and shoe coverings.

MAY 3, 2020

NYPD death
Traffic Enforcement Agent Stanley Heneson died from complications related to COVID-19. Stanley, who was assigned to the Brooklyn Traffic Enforcement Unit, dutifully served the NYPD and the people of New York City for more than six years.

NYPD sick report
On Sunday, 1,899 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 5.3% of the Department's uniformed workforce. That is down from a high of 19.8%. To date, 5,230 members of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus.

As of Sunday, 4,491 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus and 563 uniformed members plus 138 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.

Video of NYPD arrest during social distancing enforcement sparks outrage
There is an outcry over a video of an NYPD officer taking down a bystander who was watching officers make an arrest for an apparent social distancing violation this weekend.

As a couple was being arrested, video shows one of the officers break away from that arrest to walk up to a bystander with his taser drawn -- swearing and telling him to move back. He then tackles the bystander to the ground and repeatedly hits him.

Online loan sharks targeting desperate businesses in cash crisis
Greedy online loan sharks are targeting desperate consumers and small businesses that are running out of cash amid the coronavirus crisis.

Barber gives haircuts on Brooklyn street
With many New Yorkers in desperate need of a haircut, a barber took to the streets of Brooklyn Sunday. An Eyewitness News viewer posted video to social media showing the barber set up on the sidewalk along Ocean Parkway between Brighton Beach Avenue and Ovean View Avenue in Brighton Beach.

NYC hires out of work taxi drivers to deliver food to people in need
Many yellow-taxi drivers are now making ends meet by bringing food from point A to point B for the families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city's cab drivers pick up boxes at nine distribution sites and make drop-offs to people on a list compiled by the city.

Cuomo calls out residents who refuse to wear face masks
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday those who do not wear masks are "disrespecting" frontline workers putting their lives in danger to help put a stop to the deadly coronavirus.

NYC producing test kits
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced New York City is actively producing test kits, a first in the city's history, after cautioning the risk of a "boomerang effect" amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor: NYC 'cannot afford a boomerang' of COVID-19 cases
New York City "cannot afford a boomerang" of COVID-19 cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday. During his daily briefing on the coronavirus, the Mayor warned that if stay-at-home orders and other restrictions are lifted too quickly, the highly contagious disease could make a comeback.

GetFood help
Mayor de Blasio announced the GetFood Delivery Assistance Program is seeking nonprofit providers to increase capacity in their distribution staff, meal prep and neighborhood zones in their goal to deliver one million meals a day.

Penn Station gets a cleaning
At midnight, Penn Station had an unprecedented shutdown to make sure every handrail and inch of the station had been disinfected. NJ Transit will close Newark's Penn Station will shut down overnights for cleaning until further notice.

MAY 2, 2020

Central Park field hospital to close
The Central Park field hospital will stop admitting new patients on May 4 now that COVID-19 hospital admissions in New York City is reaching manageable levels.

NYPD enforcing social distancing
As warmer weather tempted New Yorkers to come out of quarantine, police dispatched 1,000 officers this weekend to enforce social distancing and a ban on congregating in public spaces.

Cuomo: closing, cleaning subways 'monumental undertaking'
Closing the New York City subways and disinfecting every train car will be a "monumental undertaking," Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday in Queens. The Governor and transit officials got a first-hand look at how the cleaning will be done at the MTA's maintenance facility in Corona.

First 'social distancing' streets open in NYC
The first part of New York City's "Open Streets" initiative went into effect Saturday morning, two days ahead of schedule. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the early start Friday night via his Twitter account, crediting the city's parks, transportation and police departments.

The closure of more than seven miles of city streets is designed to help ease congestion and allow for more social distancing.

Free face coverings available in select parks
Representatives from the New York City Parks Department will be distributing over 100,000 face coverings in parks across the city for free beginning Saturday until Tuesday, May 5th.

All New Yorkers are required to wear face masks when out in public. Times and dates of the face-covering distributions vary by park.

MAY 1, 2020

Penn Station to start sanitizing overnight
Amtrak and NJ Transit have announced they are modifying their hours for New York Penn Station to allow for daily deeper cleaning of the station and trains. Starting Sunday, May 3 until further notice, Amtrak will close its concourse -- which resides on the upper level of the station by 8th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Street -- at 12:00 a.m., and NJ TRANSIT will close its concourse at 1:00 a.m. The station will reopen in full at 5:00 a.m.

Central Park field hospital to stop accepting patients
Mount Sinai will stop transporting patients to the Samaritan's Purse field hospital in Central Park on Monday, the hospital announced Friday. The hospital will remain operational for the existing patients (approximately eight are left) until they are all discharged, which has no timetable.

Investigation sought into nursing home's alleged under-reporting
Elected officials called for an investigation into a nursing home in Manhattan Friday after a news report claimed the facility drastically under reported the number of deaths related to COVID-19 that occurred at the home.

FEMA volunteer paramedic death
A volunteer paramedic from Colorado, who volunteered for assignment at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, has died of coronavirus.

Mayor de Blasio examines month-long statistics
The mayor said that hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus in the city have made a steady decline, but ICU's are still strained. Mayor de Blasio said more than 700 medical military members will continue to help in public hospitals for the month of May. Through testing and tracing the mayor says he hopes the city will move into low-level transmission this month.

City streets open on Monday
The first open streets in the city to help ease congestion and allow for more social distancing will open on Monday.
4.5 miles are located inside parks to ease crowding and 2.7 miles are on streets adjacent to parks. Read the full list HERE.

Free overnight bus service
Bus service will be free during the overnight hours the subway system is shut down for cleaning, with the MTA promising "robust nighttime bus service, essential bus service" that they are prepared to "supplement as we go." The buses will be free from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and will be "rear-door boarding only," MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye said.

Javits Center field hospital closing
Friday is closing day for the temporary field hospital set up at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The final few dozen patients are scheduled to be released by the end of the day. A little more than 1000 patients were treated at the massive facility over the last month.

Food distribution in Elmhurst, Queens
A food distribution event gets underway in Queens Friday. Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens will hand out 11,000 bags of food in Elmhurst.

The area is one of the hardest hit communities from COVID-19.

UES hospital releases 1000th COVID-19 patient
Lenox Hill Hospital on the Upper East Side discharged its one thousandth COVID-19 patient Thursday.

The 61-year-old man was in the hospital for ten days and doing poorly until he started receiving plasma treatments just a few days ago.

abc7NY Phase Tracker:

COVID-19 Help, Information. Stimulus and Business Updates

UPDATES
New York City
New Jersey
Long Island
Westchester and Hudson Valley
Connecticut

REOPENING INFORMATION

What's Open, What's Closed
Reopening New York State
Reopening New Jersey
Reopening Connecticut
RELATED INFORMATION
Share your coronavirus story with Eyewitness News
Stimulus check scams and other coronavirus hoaxes
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

Total count of NYC, Long Island COVID-19 cases based on patient address