‘Red Zone’ Restrictions In NYC Remain For Now, Cuomo Says

NEW YORK CITY — Coronavirus levels in “red zones” across the state, including in Brooklyn, have fallen since local closures began, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

But Cuomo on Monday, despite touting his “micro cluster” effort to tamp down COVID-19 flare ups, demurred as to when restrictions will lift.

“We have to watch the numbers,” he said.

A state-imposed “red zone” still covers much of southern Brooklyn, meaning schools and non-essential businesses are closed and houses of worship have strict capacity limits. Much of Brooklyn and Queens are also covered by “yellow zones,” which have less restrictions but remain under heightened scrutiny for coronavirus spikes.

The closures took effect Oct. 8 as Cuomo shifted state focus toward his “micro cluster” approach — essentially creating firewalls around specific coronavirus spikes before they spread.

And it appears they’re working — Cuomo already adjusted some zones and said Monday that all red zones’ positivity rates have improved. Brooklyn’s rate over a seven-day average currently stands at 4.19 percent, down from 5.86 percent at the beginning, according to state data.

Cuomo touted the effort as he unleashed a 25-minute critique of Trump administration efforts — or lack thereof — to control the coronavirus. He said a recent comment by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that the country is “not going to control the pandemic” amounted to “capitulation.”

“Ask yourself, how did New York reduce the infection rate if you can’t control the virus?” he said.

This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch