Dear Friends,
As the COVID-19 emergency continues, please be assured that the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), along with our colleagues in City government, continues to do whatever we can to keep our media, entertainment and nightlife communities informed about the City's response, available resources and opportunities to assist relief efforts.
Earlier this week,
Governor Cuomo extended New York's state of emergency to June 7 and signaled that certain low-risk business and recreational activities will be ready to reopen statewide on May 15th, including landscaping and gardening; outdoor, low-risk recreational activities such as tennis; and drive-in movie theaters.
Governor Cuomo also announced members of Regional Control Rooms that will monitor regional metrics during the reopening process. To date, three regions—the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley—have met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state's regional phased reopening plan.
The state's regional monitoring dashboard is available here.
Mayor de Blasio announced that
the City is working to expand testing for COVID-19 rapidly throughout the five boroughs. Free and convenient walk-in testing is now available at
these locations, with additional sites to open. In addition, the
NYC Open Streets plan will open up to a total of 100 miles of streets to allow greater social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis. Open Streets are available daily, 8 am to 8 pm (unless otherwise noted) for pedestrians and cyclists to use while maintaining at least six feet of distance from others. New York City will continue distributing face coverings in parks,
DOE Grab & Go meal sites, grocery stores, and other sites during social distancing enforcement.
REMINDER: All non-essential event permits are cancelled through June 30, inclusive of concerts, rallies and large gatherings. MOME film permit restrictions remain in effect through May 31.
Our colleagues at NYC & Company announced
The Coalition for NYC Hospitality & Tourism Recovery, a five-borough initiative dedicated to safely re-engaging, mobilizing and championing all sectors of NYC's tourism economy once the health crisis ends. The Coalition was formed to support city and state recovery planning, including Mayor de Blasio's Arts, Culture, and Tourism Advisory Council, with a focus on revitalizing and reaffirming NYC's appeal around the world. Media, entertainment and nightlife businesses can
sign on to support and amplify the work of the coalition. (Membership at NYC & Company is not required.)
I also want to call your attention to some other updates on resources and programs available.