NYC moves to shut down schools and businesses in three Queens zip codes where COVID surges
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AP Photo/John Minchillo, File
By David Brand
Schools and non-essential businesses in nine Queens and Brooklyn zip codes could close for four weeks starting Oct. 7 under a plan to stop the spread of COVID-19 proposed by Mayor Bill de Blasio Sunday.
The shutdown plan requires state approval to take effect and would apply to zip codes where positive COVID rates have exceeded 3 percent for seven consecutive days — a benchmark for closure, de Blasio told reporters.
The shutdown would specifically apply to Kew Gardens’ zip code 11415 (3.81 percent positivity rate), Kew Gardens Hill/Pomonok’s zip code 11367 (3.86 percent) and Edgemere/Far Rockaway’s zip code 11691 (5.63 percent).
The city will also close schools and non-essential businesses in six South Brooklyn zip codes. The restrictions do not apply to houses of worship, de Blasio said
“Today is not a day for celebration,” de Blasio said. “It pains me to be putting forward this approach we need.”
“But in some parts of our city in Brooklyn and Queens, we’re having an extraordinary problem, something we haven’t seen since early June,” he added.
Slide from Mayor de Blasio’s press conference on business and school closures in zip codes with rising COVID rates.
Another 11 zip codes — including four in Queens —with rising COVID rates are also on the city’s watch list and could face the same restrictions if they have a 3 percent positivity rate for seven consecutive days.
The city will first close gyms and pools and prohibit indoor dining in those neighborhoods starting Wednesday.
The Queens zip codes are Rego Parks’s 11374, Fresh Meadows/Hillcrest’s 11366, Hillcrest/Jamaica Estates/Jamaica Hills’ 11432 and Auburndale/Fresh Meadows/Pomonok/Utopia’s 11365.
The seven other watchlist zip codes are located in Brooklyn, including East Williamsburg’s 11211, which borders Ridgewood in Queens.
The proposal did not come as a surprise to Councilmember Rory Lancman, who represents several of the affected neighborhoods in Central Queens.
Lancman said de Blasio had been warning the communities for a week and held a virtual town hall Thursday to discuss the potential actions the city could take in communities where COVID cases have spiked.
He said the city should close houses of worship in those neighborhoods, too.
"Lives are at stake, and we need to go back to what saved us in the spring, including imposing the same restrictions on houses of worship as we are on businesses, schools and other gatherings,” Lancman said.
Zip codes that could face restrictions if COVID rates continue to rise.
De Blasio did not explain how the city would assist businesses and workers affected by the shutdown, even as companies in neighboring communities continue to operate.
Minutes before de Blasio’s press conference, Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemed to lend his support for drastic action in zip codes where COVID rates are surging.
“Local governments have not done an effective job of enforcement in these hotspot ZIP codes,” Cuomo tweeted. “NYS will be doing aggressive enforcement starting tomorrow.”
“As we saw with bars and restaurants, when the state initiated enforcement actions compliance greatly increased,” he added.
