De Blasio wants to reopen NYC 'full strength' by July 1; Cuomo wants it to happen before then

New York City would reopen "full strength" beginning July 1 under a plan announced Thursday morning by Mayor Bill de Blasio, though so far the state has been calling the shots on reopening different sectors of the economy and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said he hopes to bring back business activity before that date.

Speaking on MSNBC, de Blasio cited the city’s COVID-19 vaccination progress and declining coronavirus infection rate.

"Our plan is to fully reopen New York City on July 1. We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theaters — full strength, because look, what we’re seeing is, people have gotten vaccinated in extraordinary numbers, 6.3 million vaccinations in New York City to date," he said.

During an early afternoon session with reporters in Buffalo, Cuomo said such decisions will be guided by health metrics. But he also said he wants to reopen New York City before July 1.

"I want it opened up on Monday," Cuomo said.

"I want to open up New York City Tuesday. I want to open it up Wednesday. I want Buffalo fully opened on Thursday," he added. "It’s statewide management system and we are managing it by the science, by the data, you look at the number and you will see the rate of opening. I would hope, I am reluctant to make projections because I think they’re irresponsible. July 1. You have May. You have June. What happens in May? What happens in June? I would like to get the reopening, hopeful … I don’t want to wait that long."

De Blasio said he wants the face mask mandate to stay in place until at least June.

And not everything would reopen beginning July 1 under his plan. The Broadway Theater District, for instance, isn't expected to resume shows until September, he said.

De Blasio also said he wants the city subways to resume 24/7 service, which Cuomo suspended due to the pandemic.

"Subways I have long believed we should get back to 24/7 at the right time. I think July 1st is the right time," de Blasio said. "But when we talk about a full recovery, July 1st, I'm very comfortable that's a great time to bring the subways back 24/7."

The subways were regularly closed overnight for the first time in their history to sanitize them. But the trains continue to run, even during the closure, without making stops. And the virus since has been found to be transmitted almost exclusively person to person, rather than via surfaces.

It’s unclear how the city will fully reopen without the acquiescence of Cuomo, who signed an executive order last year giving himself power to impose and lift coronavirus-related restrictions, seizing that power from local municipalities. The state Legislature since has taken some of Cuomo's powers away.

De Blasio said he hadn't spoken to Cuomo, and said he expected the legislature to rescind Cuomo's powers, explaining: "I think the balance of power has shifted a lot in Albany," hinting at Cuomo's diminished power catalyzed by scandals involving allegations of sexual harassment, nursing home deaths and his use of state resources to write a book about the pandemic.

"I think we see the handwriting on the wall. The legislature is reducing the governor's emergency powers constantly. I think they're gonna do some more of that. I'd like to see them take the whole big step and just bring us back to normal democracy so we can make these decisions and move forward properly," de Blasio said.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and other officials on Thursday urged the state to expand capacity at local beaches to their regular levels.

"Expanding beach capacity to 100% by Memorial Day would be a common sense move given our high vaccination rate, the low risk of outdoor transmission, and the importance of beach tourism for our local economy," Curran said.

Suffolk to accept walk-ins for shots

Suffolk has started offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations, as the county's positivity rate dipped below 2% for the first time in nearly six months, County Executive Steve Bellone announced Thursday.

Walk-ins started Thursday, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Selden campus of Suffolk County Community College.

Starting next week, walk-ins also will be accepted during those same hours on the days the vaccination points of distribution are operating at the Selden campus and the parking lot of the H. Lee Dennison in Hauppauge, spokesman Derek Poppe said. The days of operation vary each week depending on vaccine supply, so residents should check the county’s website before showing up.

The county will continue to schedule appointments at those sites before 3 p.m.

People who received their first doses through Suffolk can walk in for their second doses on the days they were scheduled if the walk-in hours are more convenient than appointment times, Poppe said.

Bellone’s announcement came on the day state vaccination sites began accepting people without appointments.

Bellone said the county’s positivity rate tracked at 1.7%, the lowest since early November,

"What it points to is the vaccines are working," Bellone said outside the Dennison building's vaccine tent.

Curran said Nassau's daily positivity level was 1.73%.

About 660,000 of Suffolk’s 1.5 million residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, he said, but more need to get immunized to reach herd immunity.

Curran said Thursday that close to 70% of adults in Nassau have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Bellone said he is seeking a twofold approach to help get more people vaccinated: removing access barriers and launching the second phase of a public awareness campaign to educate residents on the importance of getting vaccinated and to dispel misinformation. The campaign will include radio, TV and newspaper ads.

The county is expected to spend between $200,000 and $350,000 on the PSA media campaign, officials said last week, when the project was approved by a county committee that waives bidding requirements on certain projects. The committee approved a four-month contract with Great Neck public relations firm ZE Creative Communications, formerly known as Zimmerman/Edelson Inc., for the job.

Deputy County Executive Jason Elan told the committee the waiver was needed because "time is of the essence" to further the county’s recovery and vaccination efforts. He said the county had approached four firms about proposals and chose the best value.

The firm handles public relations for several Long Island school districts and municipalities, as well as the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency.

Firm co-founder Robert Zimmerman is a Democratic National Committeeman. Another partner, David Chauvin, used to work as the communications director for Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman when Kaiman was North Hempstead Town supervisor.

COVID-19 indicators trending down

COVID-19 indicators continued to drop in the state, with the daily positivity level from 226,068 test results from Wednesday measuring at 1.8%, Cuomo said.

The seven-day statewide average was 1.98%, the first time since Nov. 7 it has dropped below 2%. On Long Island, it was 2.08%, while New York City logged in at 1.94%.

Across the state, a total of 38 people died Wednesday of causes related to the virus, including one in Nassau and six in Suffolk, according to state data. The number of new confirmed cases was 249 in Nassau, 271 in Suffolk, and 1,605 in New York City.

Curran credited the county Health Department, partnerships with hospitals and health facilities for the progress, "but really it’s because our residents really want to get the vaccination."

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