translated from Spanish: New York to lift most capacity restrictions for Covid-19 this month

New York announced on Monday that it will lift most of the capacity restrictions imposed on bars, restaurants, theaters or museums by covid-19 throughout May and that the Big Apple Subway will re-operate 24 hours a day. The measures are another step in the back-to-normal strategy that the city and state of New York plan to deploy in the coming weeks and is expected to culminate with a full reopening by July 1 at the latest. State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced at a press conference that as of May 19, the capacity restrictions that have prevailed for hospitality, leisure and many other businesses such as retail stores, gyms or hairdressers will be terminated. Establishments, however, will have to ensure that there is sufficient space for customers to maintain a separation of 6 feet (1.8 meters), although there are some exceptions, for example restaurants will not have to meet that requirement if they have barriers separating the tables. Nor will the distance have to be maintained in those spaces or events where all persons are required to submit covid-19 vaccination test or a negative test. The new rules in New York, coordinated with neighboring states in New Jersey and Connecticut, also raise the limit of participants in outdoor meetings from 200 to 500 people and indoors from 100 to 250.Large venues – from stadiums to theaters – will be able to exceed those numbers if they require vaccination tests or negative tests and have room to maintain the required distances. From 19 May, large spaces will be able to operate with a capacity of 30% of their capacity, compared to the current 10%. METRO 24 HOURSWhile, as of May 17, the New York subway will return to operation 24 hours a day, ending the nightly closures that had been decreed during the covid-19 pandemic.” Covid-19 is in decline in New York City and across the state and, as we shift our focus to rebuilding our economy, helping businesses and returning people to work, it’s time to pick up full capacity on the subway,” Cuomo.New York began closing the subway for several hours each night just over a year ago. , when the pandemic was at its peak, in order to facilitate the daily disinfection and cleaning of the wagons. For months, the New York subway closed between 1 and 5 a.m. and currently does so between 2 and 4.According to the authorities, the wagons will continue to be disinfected despite the return to continuous operations and the use of masks will remain mandatory. The number of users of the New York metro, which collapsed by up to 95% during the pandemic, has been recovering progressively and by 8 April two million trips were exceeded for the first time in a single day. The figures, however, are still a long way from pre-pandemic levels, when the average on weekdays was about 5.5 million daily trips. Cuomo argued on Monday that the complete reopening of the subway will help workers, businesses and families as the city regains its activity. The opening of the metro during 24 hours will coincide with the lifting of other restrictions, including the closure of the terraces of bars and restaurants at midnight. This “curfew” for the hospitality will be completed on 31 May in the case of the service inside the establishments. Last week, The Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, had set July 1 as the target date for a “completely” reopening of the city, although the announcements made today by Cuomo – with whom he has a tense relationship – seem to advance the deadlines somewhat.

Original source in Spanish