Coronavirus Updates: Indoor dining in NYC on hold, Connecticut pauses moving to Phase 3

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Connecticut, New Jersey put pause on reopening plans

Jim Dolan has more on the decision to slow down the reopening process in New Jersey and Connecticutt.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- As COVID cases surge across the country, there are concerns in the tri-state about reopening plans. The leaders of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York are all putting the brakes on parts of their reopening strategy.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says the rate at which COVID-19 spreads from one person to another is increasing in the Garden State, exceeding 1.0 for the first time in 10 weeks.

That number means each new coronavirus case is leading to at least one other.

"This means increasing rate of spread Statewide," Governor Murphy said. "This is an early warning sign that quite frankly we need to do more."

In Connecticut, Gov. Lamont said Connecticut will pause Phase 3, "erring on the side of caution," after seeing what happened in other states.

NEW YORK CITY

New York City entered Phase 3 Monday, but without indoor dining, as Mayor Bill de Blasio said it would be on hold for "a substantial amount of time."

De Blasio reminded residents to be vigilant with social distancing as the city entered Phase 3 on Monday.

Nail salons, tattoo and massage parlors are allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. Businesses must disinfect workstations for each new customer, require customers and employees to wear face coverings.

Outdoor basketball courts also reopened as part of Phase 3, but indoor dining remains on pause.

Some 50,000 people are estimated to have returned to the city with this latest phase reopening. Personal care services and outdoor sporting courts and dog runs at parks have also been given the green light to reopen.

NEW YORK STATE

The Mid-Hudson region moved into Phase 4 on Tuesday with Long Island slated to begin Phase 4 on Wednesday.

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced 9 new deaths Sunday, while the percentage testing positive were below 1 percent.

He said all of the state's regions continue to perform well and have low rates of infection. Governor Cuomo said that the state remains down from when reopening started.

One thing that will not be part of the reopening process for 2020 is the New York State Fair. The governor announced Monday that it would not be held.

"Just wear the mask and say to the American people that this is real," Cuomo pleaded to President Trump. He accused the president of facilitating and enabling the virus. He added, "Look at New York, we did it!"

NEW JERSEY

Summer camps welcome back boys and girls in the Garden State Monday.

Some of the requirements include screening campers for illness, checking temperatures, keeping consistently small groups that always stay together with counselors and using masks.

Camps must send their COVID-19 policy plans to the state -- at least 24 hours before opening.

Gov. Phil Murphy says he'd like to see a national strategy on the coronavirus, including a mask requirement. He says New Jersey is seeing "small spikes in reinfection" from residents coming back from Florida, South Carolina and other virus hotspots.

CONNECTICUT

Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut will pause going into Phase 3, "erring on the side of caution," after seeing what happened in other states.

Bars will not reopen and gatherings will be limited to 25 people inside and 100 outside.

"We never opened our bars," Lamont said. "We never opened our restaurant up to 50 percent capacity. Let's take a pause. Let's keep it to 25% inside and 100 people outside."

Connecticut's Phase 3 reopening was expected sometime in mid-July.

GOOGLE CREATES FEATURE HELPING USERS NAVIGATE COVID-19 HOT SPOTS

A Google search has discovered ways for users to get around during the coronavirus health crisis.

The internet giant launched a new feature on "Google Maps" to help people navigate the areas affected by the virus.

A google search has discovered ways for users to get around during the health crisis.

WATCH EYEWITNESS TO A PANDEMIC (Episode 4)

It overwhelmed the health care industry, it put millions out of work, it drowned social services in an ocean of need and threatened the food supply Americans had long since taken for granted. At the apex of the crisis and for the weeks that followed, no part of life, or even what followed life, was spared.