Governor Andrew Cuomo (Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
Nov. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin
The Queens COVID-19 yellow zone has been expanded northward to cover parts of Astoria and Woodside, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
Cuomo said the COVID-19 positivity rate of Astoria reached 2.5 percent, putting it into a yellow zone — one of three zones where state-imposed restrictions apply to bring down the spread of COVID-19. He did not specifically mention Woodside, although it was added to the zone.
The yellow zone now covers a large swath of the borough including the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Ozone Park, Astoria and Woodside.
There are fewer restrictions in yellow zones than in red and orange zones. However, the restrictions are still greater than the regulations imposed on the rest of the city.
Yellow zone regulations limit houses of worship to half their maximum capacity and mass gatherings to 25 people maximum — indoors or outdoors. While restrictive, the regulations are not as tough as red zones where houses of worship are limited to 25 percent capacity, or orange zones where the limit is at 33 percent capacity.
Indoor and outdoor dining is also allowed in yellow zones, although restaurants are only permitted to seat up to four people at a table.
Schools in yellow zones can remain open, but must perform mandatory weekly testing of in-person students and staff. However, all public schools citywide will end in-person classes starting tomorrow, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
Queens residents can check to see whether they live or work within a yellow zone by typing their address into the state’s zone-finder tool.
COVID Hotspot Zones (Source: New York State)
Cuomo also warned Wednesday that New York City as a whole could be designated an orange zone should its COVID positivity rate — by state metrics — reach 3 percent. According to state numbers, New York City’s positivity rate is currently at 2.5 percent.
Indoor dining and high-risk nonessential businesses such as gyms and personal care services would close down if New York City enters an orange zone.
Houses of worship would also be limited to a third of their capacity if the city becomes an orange zone.
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17 Comments
If you put up a “Black Lives Matter” poster the virus mysteriously disappears. Yes, let’s all fret about the people who live in Sunnyside Gardens.
This article is about how the COVID-19 yellow zone has been expanded. Did you know that? You can explain what offends you about BLM in a rant on a different article.
BLM? BLM is an organization of American citizens. They have a right to protest and speak their piece, just like all Americans. Who are you to try and deny them these rights? When are you going to carry your crusade of denying people their rights to me and mine?
Gov. Cuomo declared that Nyc could soon become an orange zone. He seemed pissed off when a reporter asked him to elaborate. So are mayor closed all ngc schools minutes later.
The rise in coronavirus cases in Astoria may be a result of all the celebrations that took place when it was announced that Biden was elected and the next president of the United States. People were literally dancing and hugging each other in the streets. My mailman told me that two people tried to hug him that day. It was a party atmosphere and things got worse as more people started drinking alcohol. I must have heard Tina Turner song “the best” about 20 times that day.
We’ve had the worst death rate of any first-world nation for months. That suddenly changed because of one day in one city?
Trump himself held huge maskless gatherings, personally affecting LOTS of people. Why are you criticizing him for that?
I guess i have to uninvite my sister who lives in Astoria for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for the article.
I thought it was a map for mosquito control spraying.
Astoria is full of people thst vote for people that do not practice what they preach.
Angela – You’re the type of person who votes for an admitted tax evading draft dodging adulterous habitual liar. The overwhelming people who Astoria residents voted for practice what they preach. You’re uninformed.
you mean politicians lie? that cant be. must be a first.
The Gardens is just outside of the yellow zone. Let’s keep it that way. Wash your hands. Wear a mask AND practice social distancing. The whole neighborhood suffers when you don’t.
Now that this made news many people will travel to Sunnyside to party. We need to follow all social distancing guidelines.
Masks not proven to work. The CDC is a corrupt organization as is the World Health Organization. Many people have become infected even after wearing a mask. Why? Because it is a a virus and that is what a virus does: it infects people. Do you think you can wrestle it to the ground? This neighborhood will be finished by the time this is over.
last I checked if BOTH people are wearing masks correctly– it stops the spread
You’re wrong about masks. They do work IF used properly, NOT under your chin. Try entering a hospital without a mask, pal. You won’t get in the door.
Nothing is a 100% guarantee that you won’t get COVID-19, but following every guideline — including wearing a mask — will help prevent the spread and better control the virus. Even the vaccines in the works are not absolute guarantees that you won’t get the virus, or that you won’t get it again since nobody knows yet how long the immunity will last.
Doing nothing is not a responsible option for you or our neighborhood. Spreading fake news about the CDC and WHO isn’t helpful either.
–Trump, right before he was hospitalized with COVID for days. Weak!